Deandre Ayton Quotes

In high school, AAU, even prep school, I didn't really know how to play basketball. It was kind of like, 'Let's throw the balls out, go get buckets, just score, and go play.'

My father really put that in my head that defense is one of the key things in basketball.

I'm planning to go watch tape to see what D-Wade did when he played with LeBron. I need to learn how to be effective out there with him.

My whole life I played the point, so naturally I think as a point. Two guard, I get to score more... During the game, I like to mix it up.

Once I feel like I know my teammates, know where everybody is going to be, being a basketball player will allow me to attack from anywhere on the court, get better shots and facilitate.

I just think in order for someone to understand my game, they have to watch me more than once, because I'm not going to do anything that's extra flashy or freakishly athletic.

If you're a basketball player, you've got to shoot.

I wasn't a bad basketball player, but I was far from the world's greatest. Good defense, no offense - that was me.

You've got to learn the footwork, the positioning, how to box out, how to pass, how to shoot your free throws. All these things are necessary, not to be the No. 1 player in the world, but maybe you can play against him.

At the end of 2003, my game was complete. Shooting, defense, using the dribble, transition, midrange stuff was all there. Then it was about fine-tuning and trying to improve in each area.

I was a roving guard on the Lowell Hebrew Community Center's girls' basketball team all through high school. My specialty was stealing the ball, but my only shot was a lay-up.

I've been working on my defense and my inside game.

When I go on the basketball court, I don't think about who's guarding me.

I had a two-dribble limit.

I started off playing rugby league as well as union. I switched between fly-half and wing, but I preferred to play fly-half. I liked to be at the heart of everything. I liked to be involved.

I have no handles, I'm no point guard.

I think I'm a good enough ball handler to bring the ball up the basketball court, and my teammates do a great job of getting open.

Magic Johnson didn't play the style that Larry Bird did, and Michael Jordan sure didn't play the style that Magic or Bird played.

Being on the court you can really negate your athletic ability by just being in the right position.

As a basketball player, you want to play. There's only so much stuff I can go over doing one-on-one drills in practice and watching the team and watching film.

I like playing in the post, so a system that plays to my strengths is important.

In college, I got better at playing the 2, kind of got a feel for it coming off screens, found my rhythm. Before that I was a natural point guard.

I want to be an offensive player, too. Play low post, midrange, take jump shots, and just be the best I can be.

Basketball players want to be comfortable, they want to be lackadaisical, they want to make the right passes and take the right shots.

I guess I get the most notoriety from my shooting. But I like passing and movement, making the game easy.