DeAndre Ayton, the big man out of Arizona, was voted as the #2 prospect on the Liberty Ballers big board with 59% of the vote.

Ayton came into the spotlight in high school, when he was battling with Michael Porter Jr. and Marvin Bagley III to be known as the #1 high school recruit in the nation. Scouts loved Ayton’s potential — specifically, his offensive potential — but docked him for a questionable desire for the game of basketball. Alas, he fell to #2 or #3 on a lot of rankings. By the time he got to the University of Arizona though, Ayton was drawing lots of attention as someone who could be a #1 pick in the 2018 NBA Draft.

Lately, the outlook on Ayton has been pretty mixed. Some draft experts think he’s actually the best prospect in the draft. Meanwhile, others have Ayton as low as #4, 5 or 6 in their rankings.

Ayton’s offensive repertoire has so much to offer, from post moves to some range that could maybe extend to 3PT in time to impressive passing. But his defense is clearly a long way from even “good enough” when you consider the position he plays (center). He seems to lack awareness or just a general sense of really what to do defensively to make an impact. If Ayton can make improvements defensively, there’s a scenario where I could see him ending up as an elite level big. Without those improvements though... well, a center who struggles defensively can be hard to justify playing. As many Sixers fans already know...

And now, the voting for the #3 slot on the Liberty Ballers Big Board commences!

The #3 candidates:

Liberty Ballers Big Board:

1. Luka Dončić - PG/SG - Real Madrid
2. DeAndre Ayton - C - Arizona
3. ???