Deandre Ayton entered the NBA with a lot of expectations on his shoulders. The Los Angeles Lakers center received elite draft comparisons like that of David Robinson, DeMarcus Cousins, Joel Embiid, and others. Seven seasons later, that potential has never been tapped. That will need to change.
The 2018 NBA Draft class was loaded with future stars like Luka Doncic, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Jalen Brunson, Trae Young, Jaren Jackson Jr. and others. Still, it was Ayton's stage on draft night, with his name being the first one called. Since then, the players who came after him have continued to pass him by.