The Tribune

By TENAJH SWEETING

Tribune Sports Reporter

tsweeting@tribunemedia.net

BAHAMIAN professional National Basketball Association (NBA) player Deandre Ayton remains undecided on his decision to play with Team Bahamas at the FIBA Olympic Pre-Qualifying tournament in Argentina.

The Phoenix Suns centre also shed light on his postseason woes and new goals for the upcoming NBA season, and talked about his latest shoe release.

With the FIBA Olympic Pre-Qualifying tournament scheduled for August 12-20, many were curious about whether the Bahamian centre will join the men’s national basketball team. Ayton left the door open on his commitment to the team.

“You guys are going to have to find out for yourself. I am just keeping everything under wraps, just making sure I train everyday, [but] I am thinking about it for sure,” Ayton said.

After coming under scrutiny for his play following the Suns’ loss in the semifinals against the Denver Nuggets in six games, Ayton wants to change the narrative going into next season.

“I can feel the whole world hating me in a way I think I am the guy a lot of people point at and I see it and feel it but mainly what I have been working on five to six days a week since we have loss is just motivating myself to change the narrative of what people think about me,” he said.

“No matter how you put I feel like I have no fans out here and I can feel it because the whole world is saying it and my goal this whole summer is to change the narrative just unlock whatever it is and completely focus on me and change the whole thing,” the Phoenix Suns center added.

Despite the overt criticism and adversity he has faced, Ayton is optimistic ahead of the 2023-2024 NBA season following the Suns latest acquisitions of former Washington Wizards shooting guard Bradley Beal and recently center-forward Bol Bol from the Orlando Magic.

“It’s a lot pressure and heat coming it’s a lot of great teammates and guys Bradley Beal is a scoring champion and Bol Bol is another guy that is really talented and has a lot of potential I am truly happy that he came to a winning team…it’s no excuse now to just to have our heads down and go for the whole thing,” he said.

Before his appearance at the press conference where he donated $10,000 to Junior Achievement Bahamas, Ayton released an unboxing video of his newest signature shoe the Puma Rise Nitro DA1 PEs which represents both the Bahamian and Jamaican flag colors.

The Bahamian star was born and raised in The Bahamas but his mother is Jamaican and he wanted to represent both sides of his ethnicities.

“That is just me showing both sides and showing the world who I am. Yes I was born in The Bahamas and I love The Bahamas but also on my mom’s side she is not going to let me forget where I really and truly am from, which is Jamaica as well,” he said.

The professional player will look to continue his offseason training as he hopes to play an integral part in the Phoenix Suns quest to go all the way in the upcoming NBA season.