NEW YORK — Only eight years after playing basketball for the first time, Deandre Ayton is the No. 1 pick in the NBA draft.
The Phoenix Suns made the long-expected move official on Thursday night, taking the Arizona center with the top overall pick. He’s the first Arizona player to go No. 1 in the draft; Mike Bibby was No. 2 in 1998 and Derrick Williams was No. 2 in 2011.
It’s history for Ayton, and history for his homeland as well.
Ayton is just the second player born in the Bahamas to go No. 1, joining Mychal Thompson — the top pick in the 1978 draft by the Portland Trail Blazers.
The 7-foot-1 Ayton, who didn’t start playing basketball until he was 12, averaged 20.1 points and 11.6 rebounds per game in his lone college season. He’s the ninth consecutive one-and-done player to be taken No. 1 overall.
The Sacramento Kings have selected Duke forward Marvin Bagley III with the second overall pick in the NBA draft.
Bagley will be a welcome addition in Sacramento’s frontcourt. The 6-foot-11 Bagley was AP’s player of the year in the Atlantic Coast Conference during his only season at Duke. He averaged 21 points and 11.1 rebounds while shooting better than 60 percent and has the ability to consistently finish at the rim.
Marvin Bagley III poses after being drafted second overall by the Sacramento Kings during the 2018 NBA Draft.
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How to watch the NBA Draft
- Time: 7 p.m. ET
- Location: Barclays Center in Brooklyn, New York
- TV: ESPN | NBA TV
- Free stream: CBS Sports HQ will bring you live coverage throughout the NBA Draft with up-to-the-minute pick-by-pick analysis, on-site reporting and draftee interviews. Tune in at CBSSportsHQ.com!
© 2018 CBS Interactive Inc. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. The Associated Press contributed to this report.
