Does anyone have ESPN Insider access and could give a quick summary of the conclusion of this article?
http://www.espn.com/nba/insider/story/_/id/21682201/who-won-robert-williams-vs-deandre-ayton-top-10-matchup-2018-nba-draft?src=rss
I'm just gonna post the whole thing:
PHOENIX -- With potential No. 1 pick Deandre Ayton and projected top-10 pick Robert Williams squaring off in Phoenix on Tuesday evening, NBA general managers, scouts and executives flocked to Talking Stick Resort Arena for the first-ever Valley of the Sun Shootout.
Here's an in-depth look at what we learned about Ayton and Williams in Arizona's 67-64 win.
The two-game event, featuring Arizona against Texas A&M and St. John's versus Grand Canyon University, attracted NBA bigwigs such as Danny Ainge (Celtics), Lawrence Frank (Clippers), Koby Altman (Cavs), Dennis Lindsey (Jazz), Ryan McDonough (Suns), Jon Horst (Bucks), Gar Forman (Bulls), Jerry Colangelo (Sixers) and several others. All 30 teams were represented in some capacity, with high-ranking execs expecting to pick in the top-5 getting eyes on both long-armed big men.
Game stats:
Deandre Ayton Vs. Robert Williams
PLAYER PTS REB AST BLK TO MIN
Ayton 13 (4-9) 10 3 1 2 35
Williams 4 (2-6) 7 2 2 2 30
Profiles:
Deandre Ayton Vs. Robert Williams
PLAYER MOCK DRAFT HEIGHT WEIGHT WINGSPAN AGE
Ayton No. 3 7-0½ 261 7-5 19.3
Williams No. 6 6-10 240 7-5½ 20.1
What we learned about Ayton:
1. Not enough room to operate
Ayton's 13-point night (7.4 below his season average) was more a product of the lack of space on the floor as opposed to his own shortcomings or Williams' stout defense. Despite standing close to 7-foot-1 and 261 pounds, Ayton functions as more of a 4 at times in Arizona's offense, with Dusan Ristic, Ira Lee or Keanu Pinder operating in the dunker spot. Arizona's guards are still gaining continuity as playmakers, and Ayton isn't always in as advantageous of situations as he'll be put in at the NBA level. Texas A&M's defense swarmed him, and he had little room to operate.
A&M did a nice job of crowding Ayton quite regularly, which could become more of a theme moving forward given Arizona's two-big lineups and its inconsistencies shooting the ball from the perimeter. After scoring 28 points on 23 shots against UNLV, Ayton attempted only nine shots against A&M. Because the opposite big defender doesn't have to defend Lee, Ristic or Pinder outside the paint, they're able to shadow Ayton on the interior.
It will be interesting to see how much Arizona will play Ayton at the 5 next to a small-ball 4 like Rawle Alkins when he returns from injury, as that additional spacing will be much more indicative of the room the Wildcats freshman will have in the NBA.
Ayton has some vertical spacing capabilities when the floor is open -- as he showed on one fluid roll and finish -- which could be tapped into with NBA spacing and a more creative point guard at the helm.
To his fault, Ayton does prefer to pop and doesn't always set hard screens, which limits his opportunities at the rim
If he can see more value in rolling hard while playing with shooters, Ayton could be a real asset as a dive man. His face-up, dribble-drive game will also open up if he's given space and driving lanes. He can find more ways to get easy buckets off of sheer activity.
2. Defense is still a work in progress
Although he's playing with more consistent energy than he has in the past, Ayton is still finding himself on the defensive end. He's a plus on the backboards but doesn't have the natural shot-blocking instincts you would hope from a center with his tools
He's also still working to improve his verticality at the rim. He's simply not all that comfortable going straight up and down inside the circle, which is a big reason why he's averaging only 1.7 blocks per 40 minutes with a 7-foot-5 wingspan.
Ayton still has his lapses off the ball defensively as well. Here, he needs to at least help bump the cutter coming off the screen, or give full-body help if necessary. He does neither and gives up an open layup off of an underneath out-of-bounds play -- a coach's pet peeve. He's still learning how to play with consistent fire on the defensive end.
A&M interior scorer Tyler Davis did get the best of Ayton on a few occasions as well, with a hard duck in and a drop-step jump hook. Ayton certainly has the physical strength and length to bang with some of the NBA's supersized bigs like DeMarcus Cousins, but he's still learning the ins and outs of opponents' tendencies and how to use his tools to his advantage.
Ayton also intentionally fouled a 3-point shooter in the act of shooting while up three in the final seconds, which would have sent the game to overtime had Duane Wilson made all three free throws. His defensive decision making and discipline still have room to improve.
Ayton's size was a factor at times, and he's certainly not a total dud on the defensive end. He did show some activity in spurts and has a decent feel for where to be for a big his age, despite not having the most natural instincts like a Mohamed Bamba. In the play below, he does an excellent job of rotating quickly to protect the rim with the game on the line. He forced a kickout to Davis, who traveled putting the ball on the deck, icing the game for Arizona.
You can also clearly see Ayton's defensive potential with the chase-down block at the end of this clip. There aren't many bigs on the planet who can move like he can when fully motivated.
Ayton also added value on the defensive glass thanks to his size and sound pursuit, though he can do a better job of finding a body on the glass. But there simply aren't many bigs with the combination of length, quick-leaping and rebounding instincts of Ayton as a 19-year-old. He's quick to the ball on the glass, which is certainly one of the reasons he's averaging 14.3 rebounds per 40 minutes in nine games.
3. Still finding himself as a scorer
Ayton is still figuring out who he is on the offensive end. That isn't for a lack of talent, as he has almost zero holes given his power, agility, touch and passing ability. With that said, Ayton did struggle to shoot the ball from the perimeter on Tuesday, reverting back to the flat trajectory that plagued him at a younger age. You can see his touch from the free throw line, and he did knock down a face-up jumper, but given how reliant he wants to be on his shot, it's important that he turns that into a more-consistent weapon long term.
Here, Ayton allows Williams to push him out near the 3-point line on a post up, and he eventually turns the ball over, getting stripped on his way to the rim.
Does he want to stretch the floor? Does he want to operate in midpost situations? How valuable is he as a roller? Ayton has so many skills at his disposal that he's still in the process of finding himself, which is more than OK given his age and talent.
4. Full of offensive upside
Despite a so-so scoring night, Ayton's offensive upside remains clear to NBA scouts. He's the most physically imposing prospect in the draft and superlight on his feet both as a runner and in the post. He can space the floor to 3 on occasion, and he's an adept passer for his age and position. Ayton showed how physically dominant he can be on one play by more or less putting Williams under the rim with a duck-in, pound dribble and drop-step finish. Given his thin lower body, it may be some time before Williams can regularly check behemoth bigs like Ayton at the next level.
Ayton's potential as an at-rim finisher was also on display with this explosive uncontested dunk. He's much bouncier when he has time to load up, which will often be the case with the open NBA game.
What stands out even more than the flashes of shooting and occasional power dunks is Ayton's passing ability. Much more sped up in the past, Ayton is doing a better job of letting the game come to him as things slow down. He made a few really impressive passes out of the post against A&M, finding both shooters on the other side of the floor and bigs who made themselves available.
5. Body language, discipline improving
Say what you want about prospects wasting time in the NCAA when they're NBA ready, but the discipline that comes from spending a year at Arizona under Sean Miller has been great for the 7-footer so far. Not immune to on-court outbursts while at Hillcrest Prep, Ayton fought through a grind-it-out game on Tuesday without losing his cool or giving in to adversity, and it was a welcome sign.
Ayton has looked much more lively all season long, and he has shown a passion for the game and winning when he's between the lines -- something some scouts have questioned about him in the past. Ayton's discipline, body language and consistent energy have all improved while at Arizona, which are really encouraging developments if sustained.
I've said it before and I will say it again that I so badly hope my hometown are able to draft Ayton. Lauri and Ayton on the same court would blow my mind!
Thanks 0590plazaj!