History of Deandre Ayton in Timeline

Deandre Ayton is a Bahamian professional basketball player currently playing for the Los Angeles Lakers in the NBA. He was a highly-touted five-star prospect coming out of high school and played college basketball at the University of Arizona, where he was named Pac-12 Player of the Year. Ayton was selected first overall by the Phoenix Suns in the 2018 NBA draft, earning NBA All-Rookie First Team honors. He played a key role in the Suns' 2021 NBA Finals appearance, their first since 1993. Ayton was then traded to the Portland Trailblazers and later the Los Angeles Lakers.

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Full Timeline Career & Achievements Success & Recognition

1960: Ayton's Debut Record Since Oscar Robertson

On October 17, 2018, Deandre Ayton made his NBA debut and became the third player since Oscar Robertson in 1960 to record 18 points, 10 rebounds, and 6 assists in their debut game.

March 11, 1969: Wilt Chamberlain's achievement

On March 11, 1969, Wilt Chamberlain achieved the feat of scoring at least 10 shots without a miss while also grabbing at least 10 boards.

1969: Ayton's Debut Record Since Lew Alcindor

On October 17, 2018, Deandre Ayton made his NBA debut and became the first player since Lew Alcindor in 1969 to record 18 points, 10 rebounds, and 6 assists in their debut game.

1981: Mitch Kupchak achieved feat of 10 shots without a miss and 10 boards

In 1981, Mitch Kupchak achieved the feat of scoring at least 10 shots without a miss while also grabbing at least 10 boards.

1992: Quickest to 1,000 Rebounds

On February 8, 2020, Deandre Ayton became the quickest player in Phoenix Suns franchise history to reach 1,000 rebounds at 94 games, as well as the fourth-quickest player to reach 1,000 since 1992.

1993: Suns reach NBA Finals

In 1993, Deandre Ayton's team, the Suns, reached the NBA Finals for the first time since 1993.

1993: Suns Last NBA Finals Appearance

In 2021, Deandre Ayton helped lead the Suns to their first NBA Finals appearance since 1993.

July 23, 1998: Deandre Ayton's Birth

On July 23, 1998, Deandre Edoneille Ayton was born. He is now a Bahamian professional basketball player for the Los Angeles Lakers of the National Basketball Association (NBA).

2007: Last Suns player before Ayton to have 28 points and 20 rebounds in a game

In 2007, Amar'e Stoudemire was the last player to have at least 28 points and 20 rebounds in a game for the Suns before Ayton.

2007: First Player Since Shawn Marion

On January 20, 2021, Ayton had 26 points, 17 rebounds, and a career-high 5 blocks. He became the first Suns player since Shawn Marion in 2007 to put up at least 25 points, 15 rebounds, and 5 blocks in a single game, as well as the only other Suns player to do it in the last 30 seasons.

2009: Eight Game Winning Streak

In the resumed season's bubble games on July 31, 2020, Ayton started in seven of the team's eight games, giving the Suns their first eight-game winning streak since the 2009-10 season and ending their regular season with a 34-39 record.

2010: Phoenix Suns Playoff Berth

In 2021, Deandre Ayton helped Phoenix clinch their first playoff berth since 2010.

2014: Balboa School Basketball

In 2014, Deandre Ayton played for Balboa School's varsity basketball team, leading them to a 17–14 record, averaging 21 points, 16 rebounds, and 6.9 blocks per game. He achieved double-doubles in 21 of 22 regular season games.

2015: Transfer to Hillcrest Prep Academy

In 2015, Deandre Ayton transferred to Hillcrest Prep Academy in Phoenix, Arizona for his junior and senior years of high school.

2015: Ranked Top Prospect

In 2015, Deandre Ayton was ranked by Scout as the top prospect in all of high school in their "Ultimate 100" list.

September 6, 2016: Commitment to Arizona Wildcats

On September 6, 2016, Deandre Ayton committed to play for the Arizona Wildcats and signed his letter of intent.

2016: Nike Hoop Summit

In 2016, Deandre Ayton played at the Nike Hoop Summit, representing the World Select team, contributing eight points and seven rebounds.

2016: Represented The Bahamas in Centrobasket

In 2016, Deandre Ayton represented The Bahamas in the Centrobasket, where he averaged a tournament-leading 11.1 rebounds per game.

2016: Wiretapped Conversation Timing

In 2016, the wiretapped conversation regarding alleged payments to Deandre Ayton reportedly occurred when he was still attending Hillcrest Prep Academy.

June 20, 2017: Wiretapped Call Regarding Payments

On June 20, 2017, a wiretapped call between Christian Dawkins and Emanuel Richardson revealed allegations that Sean Miller was paying Deandre Ayton $10,000 per month while enrolled at Arizona.

November 10, 2017: Debut with University of Arizona

On November 10, 2017, Deandre Ayton debuted with the University of Arizona, recording 19 points, 12 rebounds, and 3 blocks in a 101–67 win over the Northern Arizona Lumberjacks.

December 9, 2017: Season-High Points and Rebounds

On December 9, 2017, Deandre Ayton recorded a season-high 29 points and 18 rebounds in an 88–82 win over the Alabama Crimson Tide.

December 30, 2017: Season-High Rebounds Against Arizona State

On December 30, 2017, Deandre Ayton recorded 19 rebounds against the Arizona State Sun Devils, marking a season-high at the time.

2017: Teammate with Marvin Bagley III

In 2015-16, as a junior at Hillcrest Prep Academy, Deandre Ayton became teammates with Marvin Bagley III, a top-tier player in the Class of 2017.

2017: McDonald's All-American and Consensus Five-Star Prospect

In 2017, Deandre Ayton was a consensus five-star prospect and a McDonald's All-American. He then played one season of college basketball for the Arizona Wildcats, earning Pac-12 Player of the Year honors.

2017: Top Prospect

In 2017, Deandre Ayton was considered one of the top prospects in the recruiting class by Scout.com, Rivals.com, and ESPN and was rated as a five-star recruit.

January 20, 2018: Blocks Against Stanford

On January 20, 2018, Deandre Ayton blocked six shots against Stanford, tying for the most in Arizona freshman single-game history.

February 23, 2018: FBI Wiretap Allegations

On February 23, 2018, a reported FBI wiretap revealed allegations of Arizona's head coach, Sean Miller, discussing paying Deandre Ayton $100,000 to attend the university.

March 3, 2018: NBA Draft Announcement

On March 3, 2018, after a game against California where Deandre Ayton recorded 26 points and a career-high 20 rebounds, head coach Sean Miller announced that Ayton, along with Rawle Alkins and Allonzo Trier, would enter the 2018 NBA draft.

April 26, 2018: Signs with Agent

On April 26, 2018, Deandre Ayton announced he signed with agent Nima Namakian, after declaring for the 2018 NBA draft.

June 2018: Puma Sponsorship Announcement

In June 2018, Puma announced they would sponsor Deandre Ayton, marking Puma's return to the basketball market.

June 21, 2018: Drafted First Overall by Phoenix Suns

On June 21, 2018, the Phoenix Suns selected Deandre Ayton with the first overall pick in the 2018 NBA draft, marking the franchise's first No. 1 pick in their history.

July 1, 2018: Joins Phoenix Suns Summer League Squad

On July 1, 2018, Deandre Ayton joined the Phoenix Suns 2018 NBA Summer League squad.

October 11, 2018: Adidas Consultant Payment Allegations

On October 11, 2018, it was revealed that a former Adidas consultant paid an unknown amount of money to Deandre Ayton's family through Christian Dawkins.

October 17, 2018: NBA Debut

On October 17, 2018, Deandre Ayton made his NBA debut, recording a double-double with 18 points and 10 rebounds, along with 6 assists, in a 121–100 win over the Dallas Mavericks.

2018: Marvin Bagley NBA Draft

In 2015-16, as a junior at Hillcrest Prep Academy, Deandre Ayton became teammates with Marvin Bagley III, a top-tier player who became the #2 pick in the 2018 NBA Draft.

2018: First Overall NBA Draft Pick

In 2018, Deandre Ayton was selected with the first overall pick in the NBA draft by the Phoenix Suns.

2018: Pre-draft comparison by ESPN analyst

Prior to his draft in 2018, ESPN analyst Jay Williams compared Deandre Ayton to David Robinson and Anthony Davis.

January 29, 2019: Rising Stars Challenge Selection

On January 29, 2019, Deandre Ayton was named to the World Team for the Rising Stars Challenge in the 2019 NBA All-Star Weekend.

May 2, 2019: Wiretapped Call Revelation

On May 2, 2019, federal prosecutors played a wiretapped call from June 20, 2017, revealing that Sean Miller was allegedly paying Deandre Ayton $10,000 per month while at Arizona.

September 10, 2019: Relief Drive for Hurricane Dorian

On September 10, 2019, Deandre Ayton held a relief drive to collect supplies and donations for those affected by Hurricane Dorian after donating $100,000 to relief efforts.

October 24, 2019: Suspension for Anti-Drug Policy Violation

On October 24, 2019, Deandre Ayton was suspended for 25 games for testing positive for a diuretic, violating the league's anti-drug policy.

2019: NBA All-Rookie First Team Selection

In 2019, Deandre Ayton was named to the NBA All-Rookie First Team.

January 3, 2020: Return to Starting Lineup

On January 3, 2020, Deandre Ayton returned to the starting lineup for the Phoenix Suns, playing as a power forward in a 120–112 win over the New York Knicks.

March 6, 2021: Welcomes first son

On March 6, 2021, Deandre Ayton welcomed his first son, Deandre Ayton Jr.

2021: NBA Finals Appearance

In 2021, Deandre Ayton helped lead the Phoenix Suns to their first NBA Finals appearance since 1993.

2021: Playoff Berth

In 2021, Deandre Ayton helped the Phoenix Suns clinch their first playoff berth since 2010.

March 23, 2022: Ayton scores career-high 35 points

On March 23, 2022, Deandre Ayton achieved a career-high of 35 points, along with 14 rebounds, in a 125–116 victory over the Minnesota Timberwolves.

July 14, 2022: Signs Offer Sheet with Indiana Pacers

On July 14, 2022, Deandre Ayton signed a four-year, $133 million offer sheet with the Indiana Pacers, which was the largest in league history at the time.

July 18, 2022: Signs Multi-Year Contract with Suns

On July 18, 2022, the Phoenix Suns matched the Indiana Pacers' offer, leading to Deandre Ayton signing a multi-year contract with the Suns.

February 4, 2023: Ayton ties season-high with 31 points against Pistons

On February 4, 2023, Deandre Ayton tied his season-high with 31 points and grabbed 16 rebounds in a 116–110 win over the Detroit Pistons.

September 27, 2023: Traded to Portland Trail Blazers

On September 27, 2023, Deandre Ayton was traded to the Portland Trail Blazers as part of a three-team trade.

2023: Ayton joined the Bahamas national team

In 2023, Deandre Ayton joined the Bahamas national team for the 2024 Olympics Pre-Qualifying Tournament.

January 17, 2024: Misses game due to icy conditions

On January 17, 2024, Deandre Ayton missed a game against the Brooklyn Nets because icy conditions prevented him from reaching the Moda Center.

2024: Ayton Olympics Pre-Qualifying Tournament

In 2024, Deandre Ayton played for the Bahamas national team for the Olympics Pre-Qualifying Tournament.

June 29, 2025: Trail Blazers and Ayton Reach Buyout Agreement

On June 29, 2025, the Trail Blazers and Ayton reached a buyout agreement due to concerns about Ayton's habits.

July 6, 2025: Signs with the Los Angeles Lakers

On July 6, 2025, Deandre Ayton signed with the Los Angeles Lakers on a two-year, $16.6 million deal with a player option for the second season.

December 2025: Wins NBA Cares Bob Lanier Community Assist Award

In December 2025, Deandre Ayton was named the NBA Cares Bob Lanier Community Assist Award winner for November for his hurricane relief efforts for Jamaica and programs promoting food access and cultural equity, leading to a $20,000 donation to the Ayton Family Foundation.

January 18, 2026: Scores 25 points on 10-for-10 shooting in victory over Raptors

On January 18, 2026, Deandre Ayton scored 25 points on 10-for-10 shooting and added 13 rebounds in the Lakers’ 110–93 victory over the Toronto Raptors. He became the 34th player in NBA history to make at least 10 shots without a miss while also grabbing at least 10 boards.