Despite the amount of talent gathered this year for the 2016 Nike Hoop Summit in Portland Oregon, New Providence native Deandre Ayton still managed to grab the attention of coaches, scouts and writers at the week-long event.
The development camp comes to an end today with an exhibition game between Team USA against Team World. Ayton will be one of the starters for Team World.
During the week, the athletes were put through intense practice sessions by some of the top high school and collegiate coaches in the United States. The Summit also featured sessions about off-court conduct and the importance of academics.
According to 247Sports writer Jerry Meyer, who’s in Portland for the Summit, Ayton’s versatility was what set him apart from the other big men on both squads.
He said: “Ayton impressed primarily with his long-range shooting. The near seven-footer can stretch the defense to NBA three-point range. When he gets his legs into his shot and gets some arc on the ball, he is a knockdown catch and shoot player.”
Ayton’s 2015-16 season was highlighted by a number of breakout games, most notably, a 52-point, 33-rebound, 10-block performance back in January.
The Nike Hoop Summit exhibition game will be televised live at 3 p.m., Saturday on ESPN2.
