ESPN.com · May 12, 2022
Why Phoenix Suns star Deandre Ayton can't live without video games
It's a Monday afternoon at the Footprint Center in Phoenix, and Suns center Deandre Ayton is locked in.
He's not focused on his team's upcoming game against the Los Angeles Lakers the next day, thinking ahead to a playoff run, or worrying about his contract negotiations with the Suns. Right now, at this very moment, the most pressing thing on his mind is which video game he'll play first.
Ayton, 23, is a serious gamer. Gaming has always been there for him in any form he needs: a best friend, a therapist, his No. 1 fan. Most of all, gaming provides a virtual community that has helped Ayton navigate the challenges he battles in the physical realm.
