ARIZONA BASKETBALL

ESPN’s Jay Bilas: Deandre Ayton is ‘Hall of Fame good’

Mar 13, 2018, 6:31 AM | Updated: 8:02 pm

(AP Photo/Isaac Brekken)...

(AP Photo/Isaac Brekken)

(AP Photo/Isaac Brekken)

Deandre Ayton is going into the NCAA Tournament hot after averaging a 24.7-point and 12.7-rebound double-double in the Pac-12 Tournament. Ayton is playing at an extremely high level and the nation is noticing.

On ESPN’s First Take Monday morning, Jay Bilas had some high praise for the Arizona Wildcats center.

“You’ve seen Deandre Ayton, he’s ridiculous,” Bilas said to the panel. “He’s Hall of Fame good.”

The praise didn’t stop there for the Wildcats big man. The dominant season from Ayton got him compared to another all-time great center.

“Shaquille O’Neal with more skill at this age,” Max Kellerman said.

“Way more skill,” Bilas said.

In Shaq’s freshman season at LSU, he averaged 13.9 points and 12 rebounds per game on 57.3 percent shooting. Ayton this season has snagged 11.5 rebounds a game while also scoring 20.3 points on 63 percent shooting.

In arguably O’Neal’s best season, his sophomore year, he averaged 27.6 points a game while shooting 62.8 percent, blocking five shots a game and grabbing a dominant 14.7 rebounds a game. That season he won the AP Player of the Year award.

Despite being in a great draft class, Ayton seems to be so far ahead of the other great players in the NCAA.

“(Ayton is the) number one overall pick without question,” Stephan A. Smith said.

With this year’s draft class potentially featuring talents around the NCAA like Duke’s Marvin Bagley III, Alabama’s Collin Sexton and Oklahoma’s Trae Young, the center seems leaps and bounds ahead of this year’s fellow players.

“None of those guys are in his class,” Kellerman said.

Arizona was selected in the tournament as a four seed, but Bilas believes this was a mistake because of the Wildcats’ resume and talent.

“The screw up here that the committee made is Arizona as a four seed,” Bilas said. “Arizona is one of the four most talented teams in the tournament.”

Even with all the talent Arizona has, Bilas doesn’t think it is enough to get them out of the south region of the bracket.

“(Arizona) was miss-seeded, and I think that’s a problem,” Bilas said. “But Virginia still, they’re the best team. I still think they’re going to get through there, they’re the best team in this bracket and they defend in a way like I haven’t seen.”

Arizona Basketball

JuJu Watkins drives on Cameron Brink...

Associated Press

Pac-12 women get 7 teams in NCAA Tournament, including Arizona

The Pac-12 could be poised for a strong showing in its final March Madness run. Arizona, USC, Stanford and more are in the NCAA Tournament.

11 hours ago

Kylan Boswell celebrates...

Arizona Sports

Experts predict Arizona Wildcats’ NCAA Tournament run

Arizona isn't a No. 1 seed this NCAA Tournament, but that hasn't stopped some experts from picking the program from going far in 2024.

12 hours ago

Oumar Ballo #11 and Keshad Johnson #16 of the Arizona Wildcats bump chests after a basket by Ballo ...

David Veenstra

Arizona faces Long Beach State in 1st round of 2024 NCAA Tournament

The No. 2 seed Arizona Wildcats will take on No. 15 seed Long Beach State in the first round of the NCAA Tournament in Salt Lake City.

1 day ago

Head coach Tommy Lloyd of the Arizona Wildcats calls to his team in the second half of a semifinal ...

Kellan Olson

Arizona projected as No. 2 seed for NCAA Tournament, GCU 12th

The Arizona Wildcats' two recent losses have still been deemed as costly enough to have them miss out on a NCAA Tournament top seed.

2 days ago

Jadrian Tracey...

Associated Press

Oregon captures final Pac-12 Tournament championship with win over Colorado

Oregon secured an automatic bid to the NCAA Tournament by defeating Colorado 75-68 on Saturday night, ending the Pac-12 basketball era.

2 days ago

Keshad Johnson #16 of the Arizona Wildcats drives the ball against N'Faly Dante #1 and Jackson Shel...

Damon Allred

Arizona eliminated from Pac-12 Tournament in loss to Oregon

Arizona men's basketball packed its bags to leave Las Vegas and the Pac-12 Tournament early after falling 67-59 to fourth-seeded Oregon.

3 days ago

ESPN’s Jay Bilas: Deandre Ayton is ‘Hall of Fame good’