Phoenix Suns rookie Deandre Ayton scores and rebounds, but more importantly he entertains

Duane Rankin | The Republic | azcentral.com

Show Caption Hide Caption Suns' Deandre Ayton and Trevor Ariza establishing bond in Phoenix From picking up laundry to providing towels, Phoenix Suns rookie Deandre Ayton has had his share of rookie duties thanks to veteran Trevor Ariza.

It didn’t take the Phoenix Suns' latest addition long to notice what stands out about Deandre Ayton beyond his height.

“He’s funny,” 18-year veteran Jamal Crawford said Wednesday. “He’s a funny guy.”

The Suns are getting more than just a gifted 7-footer who can put up 20 and 10 a night.

The No. 1 overall pick has injected a new life and energy to what has been a losing and demoralized franchise with his engaging and playful personality.

“It gives an upbeat to the locker room,” Suns guard Troy Daniels said. “You don’t want to come in there bored like, damn, I got to come to work. He keeps things live in the locker room, which is fun. You want that.”

From dancing in the locker room before games to putting up rabbit ears behind the backs of reporters during postgame interviews, Ayton clearly likes to have fun on and off the court.

“I’m an entertainer,” Ayton said. “I don’t only look at myself as a basketball player. I like to entertain people.”

More: Deandre Ayton ready to meet high expectations, reignite Phoenix Suns

Trevor Ariza gets a kick out of him, too, but the veteran isn’t going to let the 7-footer rest on his early laurels.

After posting a double double of 18 points and 10 rebounds along with six assists in 36 minutes in his first NBA game that ended with a win Wednesday night over the Dallas Mavericks, Ayton was surrounded by media in the locker room.

He was in the middle of fielding questions when Ariza came out the shower with a towel around his waist. Ariza, whose locker is beside Ayton’s, looked over and called for him to get some towels.

Oops.

Ayton immediately excused himself, got up and brought back a stack of purple towels for Ariza and dropped off a couple more to Daniels.

“Still got to do his job,” Ariza said smiling.

This was just a continuation of Ariza being that guiding veteran for Ayton.

During training camp in Flagstaff, Ariza led the charge in having all the rookies pick up the laundry every day.

In preseason, he challenged Ayton to record a 20-20 game.

“Now that’s impressive, which he has the capability to do,” Ariza said. “What he’s been doing out here has been just what he’s expected to do, but 20-20 is coming, though."

During a pivotal moment in Wednesday night’s opener, Ariza got in his rookie’s ear.

“Coming down the stretch is when you have to be big or play big,” Ariza said. “When you want to be a big-time player, which he is going to be, it’s just letting him know who he is and who he is going to be.”

Then during Ayton’s interview after the opener, Ariza reminded him he’s still a rookie.

“Thank you sir, much appreciated,” Ariza said to Ayton. “Thanks rook.”

The Suns are looking to keep Ayton grounded, but he’s the newest and hottest thing going for Phoenix.

The fans are loving him right now.

He received the loudest cheer, next to the franchise star — Devin Booker — during the player introductions before Wednesday night’s opener.

Throughout the game, fans were shouting at his teammates to throw him the ball in the post. Then when he threw down his first dunk of the game, the sellout crowd of 18,055 roared.

“I don’t like doing jump hooks all day,” Ayton said. “I like to run and jump. Shoot the ball. Doing this is fun. I look forward to times like this. Playing in front of everybody and showing that.”

He came to Phoenix with an established fan base from his one-and-done All-American year at Arizona.

So that helps, but Ayton is giving the Suns faithful a new reason to roar.

Fan approval aside, he’s still a work in progress.

Ayton struggled defending the pick-and-roll Wednesday night, but he had a very comparable night to Shaquille O’Neal’s 1992-92 rookie debut and Karl Anthony-Towns first game in 2015-16.

More: Can Phoenix Suns' Deandre Ayton have monster rookie year like Shaq

O’Neal: 12 points (4 of 8 FGs), 18 rebounds, 3 blocks (W, 110-100 vs. Miami)

Ayton: 18 points (8 of 11 FGS), 10 rebounds, 1 block (W, 121-100 vs. Dallas)

Anthony-Towns: 14 points (6 of 10 FGs), 12 rebounds, 0 blocks (W, 112-111 at Los Angeles Lakers).

O’Neal and Anthony-Towns both won Rookie of the Year.

Ayton may very well be on his way.

He had a better game than Dallas rookie Luka Doncic, a player Phoenix could’ve drafted instead to address its glaring weakness — the point guard position.

Doncic had 10 points on 5-of-16 shooting, missed all five of his 3-point attempts and had just four assists — two fewer than Ayton.

“I will play better,” Doncic said. “I’m not happy about a loss because I’m a good, competitive guy.”

Ayton is 1-0 in the NBA. That will change. He'll have his share of bad games.

It happens to the best. Losing always challenges a player’s enthusiasm, energy and effort, but Ayton’s play will have a huge say in how Phoenix’s season unfolds.

“Everybody is their own person, but he is unique,” Daniels said. “He can really play. I think that's what helps him out with the way he is. He go out there and 20 and 10, he can say whatever he wants to say.”

Suns star Devin Booker after 35-point performance in 121-100 opener win Devin Booker talks about 35-point performance after Phoenix defeated Dallas, 121-100, in season opener Wednesday night at Talking Stick Resort Arena.

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