NBA 2018-19: 5 Preseason Picks for Rookie of the Year

#2 DeAndre Ayton, Phoenix Suns

Ayton is under a lot of pressure as a no. 1 pick

In every season, the player selected with the first overall pick is automatically entering the season as a Rookie of the Year frontrunner, putting him under a lot of pressure. However, since the NBA Draft was shortened to two rounds in 1989, more than half of the award winners were first overall selections.

DeAndre Ayton, who will hope to join this esteemed group, had an impressive freshman season with the Arizona Wildcats, averaging 20.1 points and 11.6 rebounds per game in college.

To put these figures in perspective, only three other collegiate players averaged at least 20 and 10 last year. He disappointed in the NCAA tournament, but excelled at the conference tournament, with two 32-point games.

Ayton's athleticism is his main and most impressive feature, but he also has the potential of becoming an all-around beast. His size and strength can be shaped, with the right guidance, into a defensive stopper, and on the other end, he has shown sparks of versatility, including shooting from three-point range.

In Phoenix, Ayton is in the best situation for him to blossom as an NBA player and live up to the expectations.