One of the most interesting pieces of the Los Angeles Lakers’ season was center Deandre Ayton. The former first overall pick came to L.A. looking to revitalize his career under the brightest lights and while there were some positive times, there were some rough stretches as well.
But one thing that never changed was head coach JJ Redick’s belief in the big man and Ayton appreciated the support he received from Redick and the Lakers’ coaching staff.
“He’s really proud of the group,” Ayton said of Redick after the Lakers were eliminated. “How much faith he had, this being his 17th season with an NBA team, he’s just really proud of each and every one of us. He really gave me some burdens off my shoulder. He showed in the media that he had my back as well. He’s a really good coach and I was just really honored to be coached by him and his staff.”
Redick never hesitated to call Ayton out on certain areas if he was struggling, but even when doing that he always spoke highly of the center and expressed belief that he would help the team win when it came down to it. Having that level of belief from the head coach can do wonders for a player’s confidence.
Ayton’s numbers certainly didn’t stand out compared to previous seasons, and of course there was the mid-season rant about his desired role within the team. But he deserves credit for eventually embracing his role as a rim-runner, rebounder and defender and Redick and the Lakers’ staff surely played a big role in him accepting that.
Without his defensive effort in the first round of the playoffs against Houston Rockets All-Star Alperen Sengun, that series could have turned out much differently. Things didn’t go nearly as well for Ayton against the Oklahoma City Thunder as he struggled mightily, but it doesn’t change the fact that there were some successes along the way as well.
With Ayton holding a player option for next season, it is unclear whether he will be returning to Lakers. But with how highly he speaks of Redick, that could play a role in his decision this offseason.
Deandre Ayton calls Lakers season a ‘humbling’ experience
Ayton also took some time to break down how his first season with the Lakers went in his eyes, calling it a humbling experience while being proud of himself for accepting the sacrifices he needed to make and embracing the role he needed to play.
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