T.J. Gassnola said “I didn’t want people to find out” about payments to families of former college basketball prospects, including top NBA pick Deandre Ayton.

 Mamta Popat / Arizona Daily Star/

PHOENIX – The No. 1 overall pick in the NBA took the podium at his first pro media day Monday, humbly said he was “all in” with the hard work ahead, then spoke highly of his new teammates and coach.

And, when Deandre Ayton was reminded that all-star center Joel Embiid said he would get “his ass kicked” as an NBA rookie this season, the former UA star didn’t bite.

“I can’t really say anything,” Ayton said. “I haven’t put the ball in the hoop. So all I can do is just let my game talk, just compete.”

Deandre Ayton, the No. 1 overall pick for the Phoenix Suns, at his first pro media day Monday. GM Ryan McDonough says the former Wildcat has fit in well, spending a lot of time with other players. “This is another league, man. I’m just gonna do what I have to do,” says Ayton.

Ayton still flashed smiles and exuded some of the personality that broke through during his one-and-done appearance with the Wildcats last season, but modified even that.

For example, when a reporter asked details of his mischievous side, Ayton said, “Yeah … as soon as I put the ball in the hoop I’ll let you know.”

A half-hour later, as Ayton bent his 7-foot-1, 250-pound frame over to autograph some Suns mini-basketballs deep inside Talking Stick Resort Arena, Ayton was asked about his media-day approach.

Was he the same guy, after all, who proclaimed himself a one-and-done exactly two years earlier even before his senior season at Phoenix Hillcrest Prep had started? The same guy who confidently dominated his way to a Pac-12 MVP award and first-team All-America status last season at Arizona?

And the guy who declared himself the No. 1 pick in the NBA Draft last spring before he became exactly that?

On Monday, Ayton’s tone changed somewhat.

He is a rookie, now, after all.

“How do you want my attitude to be?” Ayton said. “That’s the approach I’m supposed to take.

“This is another league, man. I’m just gonna do what I have to do.”

Deandre Ayton sits on stage take questions from reporters during his first Phoenix Suns Media Day at the Talking Stick Resort Arena, in Phoenix on Sept. 24, 2018.

Turns out, it wasn’t just some media-day ploy to craft his image with some false modesty. Since making Ayton the top pick in the June NBA Draft, and agreeing to pay him more than $8 million as a rookie, the Suns say they have seen this sort of attitude in Ayton already.

“He comes in here every day and doesn’t act like he knows it all,” Suns star guard Devin Booker said.

“He knows he’s very talented but is still open to listening to people, listening to coach, listening to Tyson (Chandler, the Suns’ veteran center).

“He’s willing to come in and work hard. It’s very special to see that, especially with the talent that he has and the body frame he has. He’s going to be a very special player.”

Suns GM Ryan McDonough said he saw Ayton’s personality even in the predraft process, not only from watching every Arizona game last season but also from seeing how he interacted with Booker and fellow Suns standout Josh Jackson.

All signs were good.

“He’s fit in really well,” McDonough said. “In the predraft process, he spent a lot of time with our young players. He and Josh Jackson knew each other, and Devin hosted Deandre at his house. He’s bonded with our young guys.”

Since finishing up summer league play with the Suns, Ayton has also begun to bond with the team’s veterans, too. That includes forward Ryan Anderson, who was traded just three weeks earlier from Houston.

“I know we’ve already started a great dynamic,” Anderson said.

The Suns are betting on it. They acquired Anderson in part so that his stretch-four shooting can give Ayton more room to operate inside, as he grows into his role with the Suns.

While Ayton played further out as a power forward much of last season, because UA coach Sean Miller also had a second 7-footer in Dusan Ristic to deploy at center, Suns coach Igor Kokoskov said Ayton will only play around the basket.

“He’s a skilled center with a lot of skills he can incorporate in his game,” Kokoskov said of Ayton, adding that he hoped to talk basketball strategy with Miller after watching him for years.

“My job is to help him find his role, find his game and play to his strengths, but it’s to be up to him with how far he wants to go with this.”

Anderson, a 10-year veteran out of Cal, compared Ayton to former teammates Dwight Howard (Orlando) and Anthony Davis (New Orleans), big guys with unusual abilities for their size.

“He’s so skilled, fundamentally and physically,” Anderson said. “He can run the court well. His touch is amazing. I’ve had a chance to play with Dwight, and Anthony Davis, I remember coming in very raw but he was there.

“D.A. is advanced and his size is there, but also his ability to handle the ball, and shoot and score down low.

“He’s also very smart. He’s a very mature player. He’s got a bright future. I’m excited to help him get a little space on the court to work around.”

From left to right Josh Jackson, Devin Booker and Deandre Ayton during the Phoenix Suns Media Day at the Talking Stick Resort Arena, in Phoenix on Monday.

So maybe, if this all goes well for the Suns, before long it will be Ayton kicking the behinds of his opponents.

Not the direction Embiid predicts.

However it plays out, as Ayton’s personality and game filter into the NBA this season, it could be fun to watch.

“It’s been amusing so far,” McDonough said of Embiid’s comments. “You know, those guys are big personalities and it seems like both have a lighthearted approach. It was funny the comments Joel made. I saw they took one thing out of context that Deandre was about to get his butt kicked and then he said a lot of nice things about Deandre as well.

“Deandre’s got a big personality and a lot of charisma. We hope he’ll be able to back it up on the court.”

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