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"He is fantastic" - JJ Redick defended Deandre Ayton after Patrick Beverley called him overrated in 2022
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- "He is fantastic" - JJ Redick defended Deandre Ayton after Patrick Beverley called him overrated in 2022
"He is fantastic" - JJ Redick defended Deandre Ayton after Patrick Beverley called him overrated in 2022 originally appeared on Basketball Network .
Deandre Ayton is one of the league's most polarizing figures, and this reputation was on full display during the 2022 NBA playoffs.
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At that time, on ESPN's "First Take," point guard Patrick Beverley was openly critical of the seven-foot center, who was with the Phoenix Suns at the time. But studio analyst JJ Redick , soon to coach Ayton with the Los Angeles Lakers , took the opposite stance, calling him "fantastic."
"DominAyton" debate
After the Suns' Game 7 loss to the Dallas Mavericks in the 2022 Western Conference Semifinals, sports talk show "First Take" ignited a heated debate about Phoenix's roster, especially Ayton .
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The reason he was singled out? Many saw the blowout as clear proof of the former No. 1 pick's struggles. For instance, in that decisive loss, Ayton was benched at halftime, playing just 18 minutes. He scored four points, grabbed four rebounds, and handed out two assists, while committing three fouls and two turnovers, finishing with a -23 plus-minus rating.
It was certainly not the production expected from a player set to earn over $30 million the next season . Beverley seemed to agree, but Redick, who had retired in 2021, pushed back.
"Ayton's fantastic," he said , before Beverley cut in with, "He's okay."
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Yet the current Lakers HC stood firm, explaining, "He's (Ayton) fantastic at punishing mismatches in the two-man pick-and-roll. With him and CP (Chris Paul), they're the number one offensive duo among high-volume pick-and-roll players, so he is fantastic."
Pick-and-roll powerhouse?
At first glance, Redick made a strong case defending Ayton's impact. After all, the big man's pick-and-roll with Paul was widely seen as a cornerstone of Phoenix's success during those years — and many believed the team's decline began when it was dismantled.
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Beverley, however, offered a sharp counterpoint.
He pointed out that when Paul teamed with a skilled rolling big — citing DeAndre Jordan during their time with the Los Angeles Clippers — the point guard's playmaking always elevated his partner. The Suns were no exception, Pat Bev noted.
Hearing those remarks, JJ pushed back, pointing out that in the last six NBA seasons, no pick-and-roll duo has matched "The Point God" and "DominAyton" in terms of production.
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While Paul's presence was crucial in that, the former Duke Blue Devil insisted there's a clear reason their partnership in particular ranks the best — and that credit belongs to Ayton, a 2017 McDonald's All-American, too.
Despite his praise, Redick didn't avoid mentioning Ayton's well-known reputation for questionable "attitude" and "character" issues, noting during the segment that these likely cost the ex-Arizona Wildcat a supermax contract.
Ultimately, JJ now gets to see what Deandre—fresh off signing a two-year, $16.6 million deal with the Purple and Gold—brings to the table. Can the 28-year-old, recently waived by the Portland Trail Blazers , thrive again as a rolling big man?
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This time alongside five-time All-Star Luka Doncic , one of the league's elite playmakers. Or will the character issues discussed in the past rise again, ultimately holding the Bahamian back?
Lakers Nation will begin getting answers when their team opens the 2024-25 season on October 22 against the Minnesota Timberwolves , with Ayton — barring injury — very likely in Redick's starting lineup.
This story was originally reported by Basketball Network on Jul 3, 2025, where it first appeared.
