Ayton set to return for the Suns
Rookie missed 6 games with sprained left ankle
Sensational.
That how Deandre Ayton said he’s feeling.
Added a smile as confirmation after Thursday’s practice, but the Phoenix Suns rookie center’s been out longer than expected with a left ankle he sprained at Charlotte back on Jan. 19.
“I didn’t know it was that serious at first,” said Ayton, who injured his ankle trying to avoid falling on teammate TJ Warren in the lane in the first half of that 20-point loss to the Hornets.
Ayton tried to play though it in the second half, but he sat the fourth quarter and hasn’t played since.
“I just thought it was a regular twisted ankle. They were like, nah, it’s something a little serious. We need to take care of this and that’s what we did. We were just being safe and making sure everything’s 100 percent.”
Missing six games, Ayton has been rehabbing the ankle and getting rest in the process. After all, he’s already played in 12 more games than in his one-and-done freshman All-American season at Arizona.
“I feel very light,” Ayton said. “My legs feel very new like I just got to the league.”
The Suns (11-42) haven’t won since he’s been out, but the rookie 7-footer and No. 1 overall pick sounds excited about getting his team back on the winning track starting Saturday against Atlanta (16-34).
“Trying to get on a little winning streak,” Ayton said. “Let’s just try to get a little spark going before All-Star break.”
Ayton practiced from start to finish for the first time Thursday after Phoenix took Wednesday off following its 126124 loss at San Antonio that ended with Rudy Gay’s game winning shot at the buzzer.
He found out how much the time off sapped him of his endurance.
“My lungs had a limit,” said Ayton with his hand over his chest as he’s been doing in-pool running and sprinting.
“It was like, I’m trying to catch my breath, but it hurt so bad. Coach (Igor Kokoskov) had us sprinting a little bit yesterday. Did it twice. A little sprint workout. I know he did that on purpose to get me back in shape. I think I’m almost there, in playing shape.”
He then headed up Interstate 10 to watch his former team take on rival Arizona State in Tempe with rookie teammate Mikal Bridges and team security assistant Mark Spencer.
Wearing a black Puma hooded jacket, Ayton sat in the middle of ASU fans with Bridges and Spencer.
“That was a good game,” Bridges
said. “The environment is really cool. Props to Arizona State. That environment was cool.”
ESPN captured several moments of Ayton and Bridges having a good time, especially when Justin Coleman hit a 3 with 24 seconds left to force overtime.
Ayton's Wildcats fell to the Sun Devils in overtime – and Ayton’s early trolling of ASU fans came back at him.
“They booed me and everything,” Ayton said.
Arizona State’s basketball Twitter account even tweeted out a message calling Ayton and Bridges “casual Sun Devil fans in the house” that showed the Suns teammates at the game.
“Wow,” said Ayton as he was shown the tweet of him starting at the big screen. “I’m right there looking at myself. They got me, but at the end of the day, they know what happened last year. They had no hope in that place.”
With Ayton, Arizona swept last season’s home-away series, winning 84-78 in Tucson and 77-70 in Tempe. The Sun Devils got the Wildcats this time at home with Ayton in attendance.
Hours later, Ayton hadn’t gotten over the loss.
“When I saw him this morning, he was still pissed about the game,” Bridges said.
Ayton got back to work later in the day and spent extra time after practice getting up 3-pointers. He’s been working on it all season, but only taken one all season, and it was to avoid a shot clock violation.
Maybe he’ll launch a couple Saturday. “Hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey,” Ayton repeated. “A magician never tells his tricks. That’s all I know.”
Ayton can certainly help Phoenix on the glass.
The Suns were outrebounded by an 18.25 margin and yielded 62 total offensive rebounds in the first four games Ayton missed.
Minnesota crushed them on the boards, 64-34, and Denver outrebounded the Suns, 57-35.
Phoenix was also without Richaun Holmes in those four games as he sprained his right foot at Charlotte. Dragan Bender in Ayton’s place and while he played well and posted two double-doubles, both in back-to-back games against Minnesota, the Suns were outmanned on the glass.
Holmes returned against the Los Angeles Lakers and got 10 rebounds in helping Phoenix nearly stay even in the rebounding department (41-40). The Suns then outrebounded San Antonio, 38-36, as Suns had four players grab at least five rebounds with Kelly Oubre Jr. grabbing a team-high seven.
“We were undersized,” Ayton said. “Our guys competed every game to the end. They played hard and they were coachable. Guys were giving their all, to me, especially that last game.”