Deandre Ayton has been more than the Los Angeles Lakers could have hoped for when they signed him in free agency this past summer.
As soon as Ayton was bought out by the Portland Trail Blazers, the Lakers jumped on a chance to sign him to a two-year deal. So far, the big man has been even better than expected as he currently averages 15.3 points and 9.0 rebounds on 71 percent shooting along with solid rim protection and paint defense.
Off the court, Ayton has been just as impressive as he’s made concerted efforts to give back to his communities in Los Angeles, the Bahamas and Jamaica. Ayton and the Ayton Family Foundation have invested money, time and resources into multiple endeavors and for his efforts he was awarded the Bob Lanier Community Assist Award for the month of November.
Ayton was moved by winning the award, admitting he was speechless but appreciated the league for recognizing his efforts.
“Speechless, to be honest. It was an award I didn’t expect,” Ayton said after practice on Monday. “I try to invest to give back and contribute the best way I can in things me and my family care about and I can just say thank you. I’ve never been in a position like that to win an award like that, so we’re honored. We’re not gonna stop doing what we do, but I truly appreciate the community especially the Lakers. Even being on this platform making it worldwide.”
It’s quite the honor for Ayton, who quickly jumped to aid Jamaica following the devastating aftermath of Hurricane Melissa. He and the AFF also donated $100,000 towards hurricane relief efforts and pledged to continue supporting rebuilding projects through 2026.
Locally, Ayton and the AFF launched the Ayton Alley-Oop program that works to provide the youth throughout Southern California with access to live sports experiences and prioritizes organizations that serve underrepresented and economically disadvantaged communities.
While the Lakers will always value on-court production and winning, helping out the community is also a major priority for the organization and Ayton has been nothing short of amazing in that regard.
JJ Redick: Lakers have enjoyed getting to know Deandre Ayton
Ayton doesn’t have any former teammates on the Lakers roster, so the 2025-26 season has been about getting to know the people in the organization. For as much fun as Ayton is having being in Los Angeles, head coach JJ Redick said he and the Lakers have enjoyed getting to know him as well.
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