Deandre Ayton: ”This is bigger than any Western Conference Finals”

VALENCIA (Spain) – Deandre Ayton has been a major factor in Bahamas’ run to the Final at the 2024 OQT Spain.

The Portland Trailblazers center produced his best game in the win over Lebanon with 24 points on 11-15 shooting and 15 rebounds to boost his tournament averages to 20.3 points and 11.0 rebounds on 67-percent shooting to push his nation towards the Men’s Olympic Basketball Tournament Paris 2024

The magnitude is off the scale.

“This is really big,” stated Ayton after collecting TCL Player of the Game honors. “This is bigger than any Western Conference Finals, you’re fighting for your country and there’s guys like us that don’t get paid for this.”

Ayton knows first hand how big stages like that can be as he played in the Western Conference Finals in the NBA back in 2021, his only trip to that stage in four Playoff appearances over six seasons.

“This is truly important – we’ve been making history as we’ve gone on in this tournament.

“We are just trying to set a bar high for our generation and just trying to set that basketball mark and get opportunities on our little island in the Bahamas and show that we can make it out and come to big opportunities like this.”

Only Spain or Finland now stand in their way of making it to Paris.

“The Final is going to be the toughest game, probably of our careers. The best thing we can do is go back, watch film and be ready for those guys, we know it’s going to be a big game for whoever wins.”

On dreaming about the Olympics: “Never,” added Ayton. “This is truly an opportunity I did not expect and it’s truly a blessing that our team is a part of it with these great countries, so we just trying our best to not take it for granted.”

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