DeAndre Ayton: The Lion Roars in LA

From Phoenix to LA: The DeAndre Ayton Transformation

DeAndre Ayton arrived in Los Angeles this summer with a lot to prove. The former No. 1 overall pick had endured a tumultuous journey through Phoenix and Portland, facing questions about his attitude, coachability, and dedication. But eight games into the 2025-26 season, something has changed.

The Lion Mentality: More Than Just a T-Shirt

Ayton has embraced this lion persona with surprising passion. Before a recent game against the Milwaukee Bucks, he took control of the locker room music, playing "Unchained Melody" and preaching to his teammates about giving everything they have. "They said this my last chance," he yelled over the music. He followed with "Lean on Me" and "Stand by Me," telling his teammates they needed to "wake the f--- up." The raw emotion was palpable, and it wasn't just for show.

"He feeds off of the group's energy, and he feeds off of empowerment and encouragement and positive reinforcement," Redick said. "It took eight to 10 days to figure that out in the preseason. And once we did, it's been really awesome to watch him grow with this group and be fully engaged and be a part of this group."

Numbers Don't Lie: Ayton's Impact on Winning

The statistics speak for themselves. The Lakers are 5-0 this season when Ayton scores at least 20 points. More impressively, they're 6-0 when he grabs at least 10 rebounds and scores at least 10 points. In a recent road trip, Ayton was a plus-35 in one game and followed with a 20-point, 10-rebound performance against the Bucks.

These numbers represent a significant shift from Ayton's previous stops. In Phoenix, the Suns traded him away despite drafting him No. 1 in 2018, the same class as Luka Dončić. In Portland, he clashed with coaching staff and eventually agreed to a buyout. Now, he's finding a home in LA.

A New Role: Simplified and Effective

According to Cleaning the Glass, Ayton's usage rate is at its lowest since 2021, when he helped the Suns reach the NBA Finals. His effective field goal percentage (69.2%) is in the 85th percentile, and he's becoming more efficient in his role.

"We need the best version of him for us to be as good as we can be," Austin Reaves told The Athletic. "If he's that, then we can be a really good team. If he's not, I still think with talent, we can win some games. But for us to be what we want to be, we need him to be the best version of himself every game."

The Wake-Up Call

The Lakers' recent 121-92 loss to the Thunder could have been devastating, but Ayton saw it differently. "That OKC game woke us up," he said. "Especially with the energy from me, myself, coming in with different spirits and understanding 'Forget the back to back. This is Lakers basketball. We trying to win a game and finish the road trip strong.'"

The Lakers responded with two impressive victories, showing resilience that suggests this team is maturing together.

From 'DominAyton' to Team Lion

Ayton initially expressed confusion about the "lion" nickname, preferring his self-proclaimed "DominAyton" persona. But he's clearly embraced the message, even if he still peppers his conversation with profanity and raw emotion. "Love who love you," he said, summarizing his approach. "That's it. Love who love you."

The Lakers are clearly showing Ayton love, and he's giving it back in return. As the season progresses, this relationship could prove to be the key to unlocking the Lakers' potential with LeBron James returning soon and Luka Dončić already establishing himself as a superstar.

As Ayton himself said, "I'm against the whole world." But in LA, he doesn't have to be.