Deandre Ayton may not only be the best eighth grade basketball player in the world, but might be the best player in high school period.
The six-foot-10-inch forward from Nassau currently attends Balboa City Prep School in San Diego, California, and has become a Youtube sensation over the past few months for his numerous highlight tapes and interviews.
He was discovered and brought to America by basketball coach Shaun Manning, who first saw Ayton at a camp in The Bahamas. Manning is the man that shaped the game of one time, number one ranked player in the country and current New York Knicks big man Jeremy Tyler. Under the instruction of Manning, Ayton's game will only continue to develop.
The 210 pound "man-child" is a stretch power forward that has the ability to play both from mid range and in the post; he has incredible leaping abilities, a nice shooting stroke and is an excellent rebounder on both sides of the floor. He is already considered a five star recruit at just 15- years of age, and received an overall grade of 100 in most of the top recruiting websites reviews.
"Ayton has shown the best long-term ceiling of any prospect in the 2017 class to date. His potential is truly limitless. Ayton's improvement since moving to the United States from The Bahamas as a seventh grader has been remarkable. His hands and wingspan are weapons on both ends and he's shown growth with his face-up abilities. Developing a back to the basket game is the next necessary step," said columnist for the website Future 150, Spencer Pulliam.
The thing that has coaches and recruiters patiently awaiting Ayton's high school graduation is the fact that he is still growing. The strength he has shown thus far has college trainers salivating over the thought of getting him in the weight room.
Ayton's first real test will come when it is time for him to play against more experienced and physical talents that are on the high school level next season. But even in his freshman year, Ayton's college-ready frame should be enough to prevent him from being outmatched as he continues to grow and develop his game.
Last summer Ayton was invited to attend the Pangos All- American Camp, where he was the youngest player in
attendance. The camp is an invitation-only event and only top nationally ranked players are invited. This camp has served as the springboard for many top past and current high school all-Americans, as well as a showcase for many more national players that may be underrated. Former most outstanding players of the past several years include National Basketball Association (NBA) stars such as James Harden, John Wall, and Bradley Beal.
The thing that makes Ayton stand out is his intangibles, and those are the reason he has drawn comparisons to NBA stars Kevin Durant and future first ballot hall of famer Kevin Garnett. They all are basically the same height and have similar movements. Though Ayton's game is not as polished as the three -time scoring champions, or as physical as the former NBA champions, the comparisons are a testament to just how good he really is.
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