"The kids lined up on the basketball court at the National Basketball Players Assn. facility last week, groups on two sides with smiles on their faces, all of them patiently extending their arms as they waited for their guest to arrive. When Lakers center Deandre Ayton peered through the glass and saw those kids, he smiled and shook his head before entering the gym."
"'And me being out there. You saw me going at it against one of them. He's about 6-4 and he tried to get at me. I'm like, 'Whoa ... Whoa. Bro. I got to keep these legs strong.' In about 10 years, they are going to be knocking me over. They are ready and I'm loving it and they're so hip to the game and they know the terminology so I just loved it, man.'"
"On the Lakers recent eight-game trip, Ayton seemingly made every shot. He was six-for-six shooting with 13 points against the New York Knicks and 12-for-14 shooting with 28 points against the Washington Wizards. Shooting a high percentage has been the essence of Ayton's season - he is making 67.5% of his shots, the second-best mark in the NBA. He's averaging 13.2 points and 8.5 rebounds."
Deandre Ayton hosted a basketball clinic at the National Basketball Players Assn. facility through the Ayton Family Foundation, with about 50 children sent by the Jamaican and Bahamian Consulates. Ayton personally greeted each child, engaged on-court with participants, and emphasized his enjoyment at seeing their enthusiasm and knowledge of the game. Some children attended a Lakers game where Ayton had seven points, eight rebounds and three assists on Feb. 3. Ayton has shot at a very high rate recently, posting multiple efficient games and landing at 67.5% shooting for the season while averaging 13.2 points and 8.5 rebounds.
Read at Los Angeles Times
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