DominAyton is playing like the 2018 first-overall pick that he is again.
DeAndre Ayton's stats for the Portland Trail Blazers in the first half of the 2023-2024 season had people calling him a bust.
The former Phoenix Suns center joined the Blazers at the start of the season as part of a three-team trade that saw Blazers superstar Damian Lillard go to the Milwaukee Bucks.
This means he is now one of the leaders of the Blazers, who failed to reach the playoffs last season.
However, the DominAyton the Blazers traded for was not there instantly.
He averaged just 12.7 points and 10.5 rebounds in the first three months. These figures are below the numbers he produced in his rookie year.
DeAndre Ayton's stats since the All-Star break
Ayton came back from the All-Star break like a different person.
He averages 25.1 points since the break, the second-best among centers in that span. Only two-time MVP Nikola Jokic of the Denver Nuggets has it better.
In the last four games, he scored at least 30 points thrice and grabbed more than 15 rebounds three times.
This season, he is one of three players to record two straight games with 20 and 15. He trails Blazers legend Bill Walton in second place in that department.
He is turning heads each game now. Some people even praise him for his stifling defense and rim protection. He also hit three-point shots now.
The thing with the Bahamian center is that his confidence in his ability never wavered.
"I feel like coming into these games, I'm trying to do everything," he said last week, as quoted by NBA.com's Casey Holdahl.
"Not only do my requirements, my role for this team, but do a lot more. That's where I'm at. I'm more dominant. People like to laugh at it but it's the truth. ... I just be trying to bust that ass. That's about it. Whether I look like the bad guy or not, I'm trying to be great. I'm trying to be a winner in this league. I'm trying to be known as that guy. If you're around me, you're going to learn how to win."
How was DeAndre Ayton unlocked, and what's next
The key to Ayton's resurgence is the injury to Jerami Grant, who was the team's main scorer after Lillard's departure.
He now dominates possessions as his point guards also look for him. His dynamic with Anfernee Simons and rookie Scoot Henderson puts him in a position to be most effective.
If the Blazers want to see this part of Ayton continue in the coming seasons, they must surround him with a true PG, just like the Suns did when Chris Paul became his pick-and-roll partner.
If the team lands a true PG or develops Henderson into one, their 7'0 center will still be capable of producing big numbers without dominating the possession.
He has the skills and drive; all he needs is a backcourt partner to take him to the next level.
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