Arizona's Ayton: 'I know I'm going No. 1' | ABS-CBN

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Arizona's Ayton: 'I know I'm going No. 1'

Arizona's Ayton: 'I know I'm going No. 1'

Reuters

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Deandre Ayton #13 of the Arizona Wildcats holds the ball as he waits for the clock to expire in a semifinal game of the Pac-12 basketball tournament against the UCLA Bruins at T-Mobile Arena on March 9, 2018 in Las Vegas, Nevada. Ethan Miller, Getty Images/AFP

Deandre Ayton isn't short on confidence as the NBA draft nears.

The former University of Arizona standout went through a pre-draft workout on Wednesday with the Phoenix Suns, who hold the No. 1 overall pick. Ayton told reporters afterward that he wouldn't be working out for any other teams.

"I know I'm going No. 1," Ayton said.

"Nobody told me (I'll go first)," Ayton continued. "That's just me. I think I deserve that. I've worked hard."

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Ayton was named Pac-12 Player of the Year after averaging 20.1 points and 11.6 rebounds per game as a freshman with the Wildcats. He shot 61.2 percent from the field, blocked 66 shots and recorded a school-record 24 double-doubles.

Ayton grew up in the Bahamas before attending high school in Phoenix and is hopeful to stay near his family in the Arizona area. He described the possibility of playing alongside Devin Booker on the Suns as "Shaq and Kobe 2.0."

" has a lot of strong ties to this area. He's been working out here, he's been training here," Suns general manager Ryan McDonough said. "... The fact that he wants to be here, that's great."

McDonough has expressed an openness toward dealing the No. 1 selection, though he told reporters last month that keeping the pick is the "overwhelming likelihood."

(For more sports coverage, visit the ABS-CBN Sports website).

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