Over 1 Year After Being in Favor of Deandre Ayton’s $133,000,000 Deal, Shaquille O’Neal Shines Light on Blazers Center’s Confident ‘Prime Shaq’ Take

Deandre Ayton was recently traded to the Portland Trail Blazers as part of the historic trade deal to land Damian Lillard to the Milwaukee Bucks. As Ayton buckles up to start a new journey with the Blazers, he is confident he can become as dominant as the most dominant force in the league’s history, Shaquille O’Neal. Shaquille O’Neal is a massive fan of the young center, often advocating for Ayton to receive a bigger contract. Just last year, Ayton received a $133,000,000 contract with the Phoenix Suns for four years ahead of his subsequent trade.

Giving his props to Ayton on his Instagram, Shaq shared Ayton’s quote of comparing himself to the big man. Perhaps, Diesel is confident in the Bahamian center’s abilities to become as dominant as him in this current era of the league.

Shaquille O’Neal offered his flowers to Deandre Ayton for aspiring to be as dominant as the Big Diesel

Shaquille O’Neal and Deandre Ayton have many similarities including their humongous 7-foot figure. After getting traded to the Portland Trail Blazers, Ayton confidently remarked how he eventually aspired to be the most dominant player in the league. Comparing himself to the big man, Ayton said,

“I truly believe I can be just as dominant as prime Shaq on this team [Portland Trail Blazers].” 

Over his past five seasons with the Phoenix Suns, Ayton averaged 16.7 points, 1.0 blocks, 10.4 rebounds, and 1.6 assists per game. In the 2022-23 season specifically, Ayton averaged 18 points, 10 rebounds, and 61.7% total shooting percentage per game.

Though these stats are significantly lower than Shaq’s first five seasons, the Big Diesel believes the Bahamian star is on the right path to achieving a domineering status. The big man seems to have a ton of confidence in young Ayton, who is currently just 25 years old. Have a look at Shaq sharing Ayton’s confident claim on his IG story in support of the young and emerging Blazers center.

From the Bahamian’s current averages, it won’t take him much time to reach Shaq’s level if he is able to maintain his consistency and confidence in the claim that he could be as domineering as the prime Diesel.

Deandre Ayton could become a good fit alongside Robert Williams for the Trail Blazers

Combining Robert Williams’ mobility and perimeter defense, Deandre Ayton definitely fits well into Portland’s new defensive setup. Deandre could be a great help, both on the defensive side and in running the pick-and-roll offense for the Blazers. On the other hand, Ayton can also contribute alongside Willams as a center, who is highly regarded for his shot-blocking capabilities.

Ayton seems extremely happy and delighted to arrive in Portland after spending almost five years in Phoenix. While checking out the Blazers’ training facilities and locker room, the Bahamian felt he was re-drafted fresh into the league.

If we believe in his claims to be domineering this season, we can say Portland has scored a great deal by landing Ayton into their team.