After leaving his family behind and making the move from the Bahamas to America in 2011, it didn’t take long for DeAndre Ayton to emerge as the top prospect in the United States. He initially attended the Balboa City School in San Diego for four years, where we caught up with him in spring of 2015 before moving to Phoenix in September of 2015 to hoop at Hillcrest Prep. After winding down his recruitment to Kentucky, Arizona and Kansas, the 7-foot center revealed live on ESPN’s SportsCenter on Tuesday evening that he plans to take his talents to Tucson next fall.
“I made Arizona home going to Hillcrest Prep,” said Ayton on national television. “My family and I can benefit by going to my games. Coach Pasternack and Sean Miller, we really trust those guys and I know they can help me get to the next level.”
Ayton is commonly compared to Kevin Garnett and is highly touted for his length and versatility.
“I told my mom I was on a mission at age 12,” Ayton told SLAM last year of his decision to relocate to the US in 2011. “I knew what I wanted. I knew what my mom and family were going through. I came over here for business—to work.”
