Deandre Ayton Makes Feelings Clear About New Lakers Teammate Luka Doncic
Deandre Ayton recently signed a deal with the Los Angeles Lakers.
The former Arizona star had spent the last two seasons on the Portland Trail Blazers.
“Deandre’s size, mobility and athleticism will allow both paint scoring and paint protection. Deandre’s playoff experience as a starter on an NBA Finals team also aligns well with our ultimate Lakers championship aspirations.” - Rob Pelinka
— Los Angeles Lakers (@Lakers) July 7, 2025
On Tuesday, Ayton met with the media for the first time as a member of the franchise.
He spoke about getting to play with Luka Doncic.
Ayton (via NBA on ESPN): "This is an opportunity that I won't take for granted. Luka is a once-in-a-generation player, and I'm happy to be his teammate... I'm finally glad to be on this side while he's doing all of that."
Ayton and Doncic were both members of the 2018 NBA Draft class.
Via @BasketNews_com: "Lakers got TWO out of the top THREE picks of the 2018 NBA draft on their roster now
#1 Deandre Ayton
#2 Marvin Bagley III
#3 Luka Doncic"
Lakers got TWO out of the top THREE picks of the 2018 NBA draft on their roster now 🤯
— BasketNews (@BasketNews_com) July 3, 2025
#1 Deandre Ayton ✅
#2 Marvin Bagley III
#3 Luka Doncic ✅ pic.twitter.com/MfX0Jqj9Fx
Last season, Ayton had averages of 14.4 points, 10.2 rebounds, 1.6 assists and 1.0 blocks per contest while shooting 56.6% from the field in 40 games.
He had spent the first five seasons of his career with the Phoenix Suns (before Portland).
Via Lakers Nation: "When asked about the Lakers' history of great centers, Deandre Ayton specifically named Shaq as someone he grew up admiring."
When asked about the Lakers' history of great centers, Deandre Ayton specifically named Shaq as someone he grew up admiring.
— Lakers Nation (@LakersNation) July 8, 2025
In his first 28 games playing for the Lakers, Doncic had averages of 28.2 points, 8.1 rebounds, 7.5 assists and 1.6 steals per contest while shooting 43.8% from the field and 37.9% from the three-point range.
The Lakers lost to the Minnesota Timberwolves in the first round of the NBA playoffs.
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