NBA
Suns: Deandre Ayton said ‘I can feel the whole world hating me’ and he wants to change that
Zach Wolpin is an NBA and NFL expert who's been betting on the league for over three years now. Wolpin has been a fan of the NBA and has been watching for a decade and a half. He covers the latest news and stories surrounding the league daily. His passion in life is watching sports and being able to share that through his sports writing. He has written about the NBA and other sports leagues through various media outlets over the years like Sir Charles In Charge, G-Men HQ, and TAP into South Plainfield. Before he became an NBA News Writer, Wolpin attended Montclair State University where he graduated in 2021. He studied Sports Media and Writing while in school.
All posts by Zach WolpinUpdated20 Jul 2023
The Phoenix Suns lost in the second round of the playoffs and it was a tough postseason for Deandre Ayton. His (13.4) points per game in the 2023 playoffs were the lowest postseason total of his career. Recently, Ayton spoke with the media and voiced his opinions. He said “I can feel the whole world hating me” and wants to change that narrative.
On top of not playing well in the postseason, Ayton was the subject of trade rumors almost all season. There was a lot of change happening last season for Phoenix. They now have a new head coach, and new ownership, and have rebuilt their roster.
It’s clear by their offseason moves that the Suns are trying to cash in on the championship window they think they have. Out of all the players they traded away or acquired, Deandre Ayton still remains on the roster. They still value the former #1 overall pick in the 2018 NBA Draft.
Deandre Ayton feels like the whole world is ‘hating’ on him
“No matter you put it, I feel like I have no fans out there and I can feel it because the whole world is saying it. My goal is over the summer is to change the narrative.”
(Via Arizona Republic) pic.twitter.com/RAezKbmSFz
— NBACentral (@TheNBACentral) July 19, 2023
Suns’ big man Deandre Ayton says he’s been working five to six days a week to get better
At last season’s trade deadline, the Suns made a blockbuster trade for Kevin Durant. He played well in the small size we saw after the deadline and in the playoffs. Additionally, Phoenix traded for Bradley Beal this offseason and it’s clear they are trying to build a championship roster.
That put’s a serious amount of pressure on Deandre Ayton and he feels it. After his poor performance in the 2023 playoffs, Ayton is determined to improve this summer. He had this to say to Eyewitness News Bahamas.
“My goal is over the summer is to change the narrative. Just unlock whatever it is and just completely just focus on me and change the whole thing.” – Deandre Ayton
The 24-year-old big man just finished his fifth NBA season with the Phoenix Suns. He averages (16.7) points and (10.4) rebounds per game. That is a solid career average, but the Suns expect more from him as a #1 overall pick. Ayton still has not cracked averaging 20+ points per game in a season.
His most was (18.2) points per game in his sophomore season. He’s working hard this offseason to clean up his weakest skills. If he could become a more consistent three-point shooter, that would make him more of an offensive threat. We’ll have to wait and see what kind of 2023-24 seasons he has.
