Deandre Ayton named Pac-12 Player of the Week after destroying ASU

He is good at basketball

Arizona Wildcats big man Deandre Ayton has been named Pac-12 Player of the Week for the second time this season, it was announced Tuesday afternoon.

Ayton had 23 points, 19 rebounds, three assists, and three blocks in Arizona’s win 84-78 over No. 3 ASU on Saturday.

That was Ayton’s 10th double-double of the season, and his 19 rebounds were the most for an Arizona player since Bob Elliott grabbed 19 in a game during the 1973-74 season.

“I hope everybody in McKale realizes what 23 points and 19 rebounds feels like for a freshman,” head coach Sean Miller said after that game. “You don’t see that very often.”

Ayton is only the eighth freshman to be Player of the Week multiple times in a season since the award was created in 1983. The former five-star recruit won the honor back on Dec. 4.

Ayton has certainly lived up to the hype in his first season with the Wildcats, averaging 19.7 points and 11.9 rebounds through 14 games.

The Bahamian is the NCAA's leading freshman rebounder (11.9 rpg) and is tied for fourth nationally with 10 double-doubles through 14 games. That double-double total is currently on pace to break Kevin Love's Pac-12 freshman record of 23 set in 2008.

Ayton is currently fifth on KenPom’s Player of the Year standings, and Sports Illustrated recently projected Ayton as the No. 1 overall pick in the 2018 NBA Draft.

---

Follow Ryan Kelapire on Twitter at @RKelapire

---

from Arizona Desert Swarm - All Posts http://ift.tt/2Cwfs2X
via IFTTT