Sometimes silly.
Sometimes bold.
Sometimes insightful.
That's Deandre Ayton all the time.
"I don't only look at myself as a basketball player," he said early this season. "I like to entertain people."
The No. 1 overall pick out of Arizona has delivered some stirring quotes like the one after Phoenix lost at Cleveland to set a franchise record for consecutive losses with 16.
"I gave them enough time to let them run what they got to run," Ayton said. "Now I'm about to just take over now. It's about that time to take over and not really look back."
Then after the Suns finally won Monday at Miami to end the record skid at 17?
"Thank God," said Ayton after looking around the visiting locker room. "I wanted to curse and say 'Halle (bleep) lujah.'"
Let the "Ayton-isms" begin.
"As soon as I put the ball in the hoop, I can say what I want. So, I'm waiting." — Part of his response to Joel Embiid's "ass-kicked" comments at team media day. Ayton first said he couldn't say anything in reaction because he hadn't scored in an NBA game.
"You're in my head now. You need to tell me that after this, so I can write it down and keep it in my room. That's motivation right there to keep me going. That's even more fire to the fuel." — Reacting to Shaquille O'Neal giving him props.
"That training camp was hell. It was good hell. I don't know if there's any such thing a good hell, but it was good hell and it got me in shape big time. So, I'm in tip top shape." — After camp in Flagstaff.
"He was happy for me and was like this is when your legacy starts. I'm like, I don't even know how to react. I was like, 'Thank you bro.' Like legacy?" — On Devin Booker's comments to him before opener.
"I felt like I was getting hooked every time. I was talking to the refs, and I basically got the rookie treatment. They don't respond or they don't hear me." — After defending LaMarcus Aldridge.
"That is the true definition of NBA2K." — On Booker's winner to beat Memphis.
"I'm tired of talk saying it's early. Saying it's too early, we're a young team. I'm tired of that talk. Did it in college. People were saying we were too young and da-da-da-da-da. Destroyed all of them. I think I can do it again in the NBA." — After Brooklyn loss.
"Out of all the Ls we took, I'd rather lose like this. I know we battled. So, I can go to sleep at night." —After OT loss to Boston.
"We've just got to take the cool shoes off and just play barefoot one time and just run." — After loss at New Orleans to drop to 2-10.
"All these Ls are on me because I'm not coming out aggressive enough to really set the tone. Next game is going to change." — In reaction to Igor Kokoskov saying he was too passive against Anthony Davis.
"That was the Deandre I had to show from college. I don't think this league want that." — On flexing after dunking on Spurs big Davis Bertans.
"I'm locked in on every game. It's just freezing and I'm sweating. I don't know these guys play in this freezing weather." Before first game against Embiid at Philadelphia.
"All these guys are bigger than what I thought. I've been seeing them from a screen. I've never met any of these guys. Everyone has been bigger than what I thought. Look at myself, like yo, what the heck. I've got some work to do this offseason." — after first game versus Embiid, who went for 33 and 16.
"I really got threw off by the big dude. I'm not going to lie." — Talking about playing against 7-3 Boban Marjanovic when he was with the Los Angeles Clippers. Suns lost 115-99 back in November.
"I'm an emotional guy, too. I start to feel stuff. When I don't sense it and the energy is not there, that's when you start to hear my mouth. I don't care who it is. Nineteen-year vet or 15 years, it don't matter. We all have a job to do and I have to step it up a little more, too." — After loss at Portland where Ayton and Booker had a heated verbal exchange as the media entered the visiting locker room.
"I'm thinking out loud and I was talking to the coaches and I was like, 'Yo, we got to do this again?' In college, when you have a tough game like that, they worried about how your body feels. In the NBA, you have the next one in about 13 hours buddy. I was like, OK, this is a job." — After second of a back-to-back when Ayton went for 26 and 18 at Brooklyn after having 26 and 17 at Washington.
"If I'm having a bad day, it really shows. I can't really have days like that." — After scoring just four points on 2-of-3 shooting in loss to Clippers.
"Is it like a sprained ankle or something? Is it like, OK, this is where I stop? I don't know what that is, especially with the minutes I'm playing." — When asked about hitting a rookie wall.
"He got the house rocking tonight. It was some shots he hit, I'm like, we need that." — Talking about Oubre, who scored 26 in a win over Sacramento.
"That was a big win against a great team. Opened the league's eyes. Opened our eyes. We know we have it. We've just got to keep doing it and be consistent." — After upset win over Denver.
"He just goes out there no matter what the score is and just plays hard like his life is on the line down there." — On Richaun Holmes.
"Coach emphasizes sacrifice, but teach us exactly what that means as young players. What do we have to give up, or offer up? Tell us our roles. That's the main reason to know what to sacrifice. Explain it and we'll know what our sacrifices are and whoever don't do their job, confront them. Simple as that." — After loss at Charlotte.
"I feel very light. My legs feel very new like I just got to the league." — About his return after missing six games with the ankle sprain.
"Hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey. A magician never tells his tricks." — On working on his 3-ball.
"I compete. I don't worry about intimidation. I don't see anybody. I just play." — About playing against DeMarcus Cousins.
