Arizona Marvelous Ideas: 2017’s No. 1 prospect DeAndre Ayton commits to Arizona over Kansas and Kentucky

The nation’s top 2017 prospect won't be staying in Arizona

DeAndre Ayton, the top-ranked 2017 recruit, has committed to the Arizona Wildcats over the Kansas Jayhawks and Kentucky Wildcats, he announced on SportsCenter on Tuesday evening.

"Coach Pasternack, Sean Miller we really trust those guys and we believe they will help me get to the next level," Ayton said after his announcement.

At 7-feet tall, Ayton possesses unique talent both on offense and defense and will immediately fill the starting center role during his freshman year – that’s how good he is.

Scout.com writes:

"Ayton is pushing 7-feet tall and runs the floor and moves like a guard. He has wide, strong shoulders and a lengthy set of arms. He gets to shots with his length and impressive athleticism. Offensively, he's equipped with good hands and deft touch in the paint. He can also make short and mid-range jump shots."

His decision to choose a school on Tuesday was out of the blue, and 247Sports’ Crystal Ball had him favored at 94 percent to commit to Kansas and Bill Self.

Ayton's recruitment has been a strange one, with little fanfare and even less information surrounding it. Perhaps that is how the young man wanted it but it seems to have left many in the recruiting arena in the dark.

The big man plays for Hillcrest Academy, a quasi-high school in Phoenix, Arizona, that doesn’t actually have any classrooms. However, their website states they offer "NCAA-certified high school and college courses through Arizona Connections Academy (online) and Sequoia Choice Precision School (traditional)."

Ayton is expected to only play one season in college before heading to the NBA, telling Scout.com earlier this year he wants to "Get a nice little (NCAA) championship ring to leave with."

He also added, "It really don't matter which school I go to, to be honest, I'm not looking for certain things in a school. I just want a relationship with a coach and have a good year in college and that's it."

Below you can watch why many believe he’ll go first overall in the 2018 NBA Draft.