Suns Expected To Draft University Of Arizona Star With No. 1 Pick

By Matthew Kling
Published: Wednesday, June 20, 2018 - 5:32pm
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The NBA Draft tips off Thursday in Brooklyn, and for the first time ever, the Phoenix Suns have the No. 1 pick. All signs point to the Suns taking University of Arizona big man DeAndre Ayton with the top pick.

Ayton opted to hold only one workout with any NBA team, and that team was the Suns.

Suns General Manager said following that workout that he's pleased Ayton wants to be a Sun.

“He’s been working out here," McDonough said, "he’s been training here throughout the pre-draft process. I think he’s developed a pretty good relationship with Devin Booker and Josh Jackson and Marquese Chriss and some of our other young core players.”

Ayton played one season for the Wildcats, averaging 20.1 points per game and 11.6 rebounds per game. Born in the Bahamas, he moved to San Diego as a child, and moved to Phoenix for his junior and senior years of high school to play at Hillcrest Prep Academy.

If the Suns decide not to draft Ayton, they could go with Duke big man (and Tempe native) Marvin Bagley III or Slovenian guard Luka Doncic.

Either way, the Suns will have other decisions to make: they also hold the 16th overall pick, as well as two second-round picks.