Deandre Ayton is causing a major reassessment of the value of an old-school basketball center. When Ayton was selected No. 1 overall in the 2018 NBA draft, some internet draft “experts” thought the Phoenix Suns were making a mistake for investing in a 7-footer who doesn’t fit the modern big preferred by analytics.

Now, the 250-pound Bahamian beast is making a believer out of almost everyone in the basketball world — including the analytics nerds.

Ayton made a splashy debut in the NBA Finals, scoring 22 points, grabbing 19 rebounds, shooting 80 percent from the field (making eight of 10 shots) against the Milwaukee Bucks. Only three other players put up those kinds of numbers in the NBA Finals: Bill Russell, Wilt Chamberlain, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar.

“I’m just happy. I get goosebumps. Sometimes I overwhelm myself on the way to the game. I’m having a lot of fun because my guys in here, they keep me level,” said Ayton, who is shooting a Shaq-like 71 percent from the field in the 2021 postseason while averaging 16 points and 12 rebounds.

Chris Paul and Devin Booker grab all the headlines and the SportsCenter highlights, but it’s Ayton who might be the most important player on the Suns.

Ayton gave the L.A. Lakers fits in the first round of the Western Conference playoffs, going toe-to-toe with Lakers superstar Anthony Davis. After dispatching the Lakers, Suns swept the Denver Nuggets in the conference semifinals. In that series, Ayton was matched against reigning MVP Nikola Jokic. Ayton basically played Jokic to a draw, which was a win for the Suns.

In the conference finals, Ayton consistently destroyed the L.A. Clippers’ small-ball lineup and forced Clippers coach Ty Lue to go back to a more conventional lineup with 7-footer Ivica Zubac at center.

Jokic, Philadelphia’s Joel Embiid, and Utah’s Rudy Gobert — the three big men regarding by many experts as 1-2-3 in the pecking order — are all sitting at home while Ayton keeps getting stronger with each round and appears ready to challenge Jokic, Embiid, and Gobert for a spot on the All-NBA teams.

“He’s just locked into the role,” Suns coach Monty Williams said his third-year center. “Sometimes when you tell a player they have a role, they tend to think you’re limiting their ability. I don’t think DA thinks that. I think he understands his role and how he can affect winning, on both sides of the ball.”

Ayton’s role on the Suns is simple. Offensively, when he’s not catching lobs and finishing at the rim, he helps trigger the offense by setting screens, freeing up Paul and Booker on many mid-range forays. Defensively, he protects the paint and secures any defensive rebound he can get his hands on. It’s imperative for him to win the battle of the boards because the Suns are not the biggest team in the league. Ayton doesn’t mind doing all the dirty work.

“He’s just a presence down there,” Williams said of his young center, who turns 23 on July 23. “Sometimes they have to run two guys at him to keep him off the glass, and that allows our wings to pick up some offensive rebounds.”

Williams added: “I think his focus during the playoffs has been something that doesn’t surprise me — I just didn’t expect him, as young as he is, to be locked in,” Williams said. “And he’s been listening to Chris [Paul], all of our older guys when it comes to the experience, the playoff mentality and everything he’s doing in the weight room. I’ll look over in the weight room and he’s doing something in the weight room that I have never seen him do before, and it’s usually something that Chris has in his program.”

Ayton has totally bought into what Williams has been preaching since the day he got hired as Phoenix’s head coach. Williams wanted Ayton to get in better shape and focus on the game plan.

“He’s watching a ton of film on his own, so I just think he’s embracing the experience,” Williams said. “To be as young as he is and his first time going through it, I did not expect him to be where he is right now as far as his focus and attention to detail and the level of force that he’s playing with.”

There was a moment in Game 2 of the NBA Finals involving Williams and Ayton that’ll inspire basketball fans. Ayton was sulking a bit because he wasn’t playing up to his standard. Williams immediately noticed his big man was feeling a little down, so he took the time to pump him up.

“Look at me. You set a high level for yourself. That’s why you’re down. That’s great,” Williams told Ayton. “Now go reach that level. And you can reach it with force. Dominate the game with force.”

Ayton responded with another forceful game.

Austin Rivers (left) and Anthony Davis (middle) form the young nucleus of Monty Williams’ New Orleans squad. (GETTY IMAGES)

In the first week of training camp, New Orleans Hornets head coach Monty Williams asked his squad that was gathered around him if anyone of them watched the presidential debate. Nearly all of them raised their hands. Then, Williams asked if they have spoken to their players’ union representative. No show of hands.

Williams reminded his young team that they need to be aware of their surroundings because our climate is changing, not just politically but also economically. They need to be aware of what is going on outside of basketball such as knowing their rights as players and details of the new collective bargaining agreement. Williams asked if any of them are aware of their union, and none of them seem to know. The coach also pointed to Roger Mason Jr., one of the main players during a very contentious negotiations with the league during the summer of 2011. Williams let his team know that Mason is a great source for anything union related, so they should take advantage.

Hornets camp is almost like a three-hour summer school session, with Williams playing the role of teacher and addressing a bunch of high school students. In reality, the Hornets are so young half of the team is only a few years removed from high school. The foundation of Williams’ squad are two 19-year-olds: Anthony Davis and Austin Rivers.

In his one and only season at the University of Kentucky, Davis was the consensus choice for college player of the year and powered the Wildcats to a national championship, in which he was named MVP of the Final Four. Rivers also played one season in college at Duke, and even though he didn’t have nearly the success Davis had the son of Boston Celtics coach Doc Rivers was one of the most dynamic players.

“We’re think of Austin (Rivers) and Eric (Gordon) as guys who can put the ball on the floor,” Hornets general manager Dell Demps told NBA TV. Demps firmly believes Gordon can become the leader of the Hornets, which is why he matched Phoenix’s $58 million offer sheet this offseason to keep the 6-foot-3, 215-pound shooting guard in New Orleans.

“I really want us to grow. That is the most important thing for us. We want to get better, and get ready for the future. We’re still in the early stages,” says Demps, who points to the fact that Gordon, center Robyn Lopez and forward Ryan Anderson are all going into their fifth seasons but are all under 25 years old.

Gordon remains sidelined with a knee injury but when he returns the Hornets will have a nice young talented nucleus that includes the 6-10 Davis, who has a unique skill set that is already NBA ready. “He’s definitely a power forward. He’s very long. He’s definitely one of the longest players I’ve ever played with,” Gordon said of the No. 1 overall pick of the 2012 draft.

“His intangibles is crazy. He can block shots, he can rebound, and he can knock down that jump shot,” Gordon added.

The Hornets won only 21 games last season and was dead-last in the NBA in scoring. If Gordon can stay healthy, and Davis and Rivers contribute right away, the Hornets could be the surprise team in the Western Conference.

Joel Huerto is the editor and publisher of OneManFastBreak.net. Follow him on Twitter @onemanfastbreak.

Kentucky All-American Anthony Davis is the biggest catch in the 2012 NBA draft. (ASSOCIATED PRESS)

Anthony Davis is the consensus No. 1 pick in the 2012 NBA draft. His resume reads like a laundry list that is normally reserved for legends: SEC player of the year, Naismith Award and Wooden Award winner, AP player of the year, AP first-team All-American, and the most outstanding player in the Final Four after leading Kentucky to a national title.

So what’s next for Davis? How about NBA superstar.

That may be quite a lofty status for a guy who only burst onto the scene two years ago after a 7-inch growth spurt catapulted him from an unknown shooting guard in high school to being named the No. 1 overall pick in the 2012 NBA draft. But Davis is a special talent. He has the skill set comparable to Kevin Garnett and a demeanor similar to Tim Duncan. If Davis comes close to accomplishing what KG and TD did in their NBA careers, he’ll do just fine.

“He understands how to play basketball. He is always in position defensively,” former college coach and current ESPNU analyst Dan Dakich said about Davis, who rejected 186 shots as a freshman and averaged five blocked shots per game.

“There’s a confidence there that only comes out when it’s game time,” Hornets coach Monty Williams said. “His job is continue to improve, win games, and increase his earning power. But at the same time I want him to have fun.”

Davis has an unlimited ceiling. He is listed at 6 feet 9 inches tall but has a eye-popping 7-6 wingspan. At 222 pounds, he may need to add a few more pounds to absorb all the banging in the paint, but his athleticism is off the charts and has guard-like skills.

And as far as that ridiculous unibrow, well, let’s just say it is not going away anytime soon.

“When I first got to Kentucky guys were saying ‘Get rid of it.’ But me being me loving who I am and being thankful the way God created me, I just said ‘No.’ I really can’t cut it because it has gone global so I really have to keep it now.”

Now that Davis’ famous unibrow is here to stay, one nickname seems appropriate: The Unablocker.

Davis’ basketball acumen will be tested immediately at the NBA level. The New Orleans Hornets are already calling him “the savior,” which is a ton of pressure placed on guy who is just two years removed from high school. New Orleans is starving for a superstar after its favorite son, Chris Paul, turned his back on the city and approved a trade to the Los Angeles Clippers.

New Hornets owner Tom Benson needs a headliner to fill seats and Davis is going to be the face of the franchise for years to come. “Boy, he is just a delight. I get a good feeling from him,” said Benson, who also owns the New Orleans Saints.

“New Orleans is a great city. I know [the team] really works hard. Their main goal is play hard and play defense,” Davis said. “When I come here I just try to contribute as much as I can and do what Coach [Monty] Williams want me to do.”

Joel Huerto is the editor and publisher of OneManFastBreak.net. Follow him on Twitter @onemanfastbreak.

Chris Paul is averaging 18.7 points, 10.2 assists and 6.0 rebounds through six games, leading the Hornets to a 6-0 start. (GETTY IMAGES)

NBA TV is currently airing a show titled “24 Hours with …. Chris Paul.” It shows a very revealing look at the life of an NBA star, from the time he leaves his home to attend practice, to his game preparation and then back home again to recharge and deal with family life.

If you haven’t seen it, I suggest watching it because it provides a very personal look at the best point guard in the NBA. Yes, the BEST point guard in the NBA. He’s back! Just like the song, “Y’all must have forgot,” we all seem to have forgotten CP3.

Last year, he missed most of last season with an injury and a lot of pundits elevated guys such as Deron Williams, Rajon Rondo and Derrick Rose to the top of the point guard competition.

Well, the king is back and he wants his crown back.

D-Will is nice, but he doesn’t have CP3’s ball-handling and passing skills. Rondo is an amazing passer, but he can’t score like Paul can. And D-Rose may be the quickest PG in the NBA, but he still has a long ways to go in terms of managing a game and running an offense.

Chris Paul is the most complete point guard in the league, and if there were any questions regarding his status as the top guard he has certainly answered the call with the way he has played during the first two weeks of the 2010-11 season.

Paul has the Hornets buzzing again, sitting atop the Southwest Division at 6-0. The Hornets are one of three undefeated teams in the Association and one of their wins came against Eastern Conference power Miami. Against the Heat, Paul had 13 points and 19 assists and powered the Hornets to a 96-93 victory at home. It was New Orleans’ signature victory of the young season, and the team owes it all to its perennial All-NBA performer.

“We just got to keep playing, man. I’m not surprised just because we’re all professionals,” Paul told the Associated Press. “It doesn’t matter what it looks like on paper, you just have to go out and play the game and that’s what we’re doing.”

The Hornets are off to the best start in their history, but it depends on how this season ends that could decide what Paul will do in the offseason. He will become a free agent after this season and the Hornets are caught in a LeBron-like situation. They could very well lose Paul without any compensation (sound familiar), which would likely end basketball in New Orleans.

Paul said publicly during the offseason that he wants to play for a championship and he’s getting a little frustrated with the direction of the franchise. Then he saw his good friend LeBron James jump ship and join forces with Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh in Miami, so that got his blood boiling even more.

That was before Paul met with Monty Williams, a young and bright assistant coach who was hired last summer to be the head man of the Hornets. Williams has convinced Paul that things will be different, and so far he has delivered on his promise.

The Hornets are playing with more energy and their defense has been superb. Also, offensively, Emeka Okafor and David West have benefited greatly from Paul’s return and the addition of Trevor Ariza has given the team a versatile player who can score and defend at the wing position.

“It’s nice to be part of a group who plays hard every night. Different guys are stepping up. The start is great, but we are going to win a lot of games if we play defense like that,” said Williams, who worked as Nate McMillan’s assistant coach from 2005-10 so he knows a thing or two about playing defense. He also played for Gregg Popovich so he puts a premium on stability and organization.

Seems as though Paul has bought into Williams’ philosophies and things are looking up. Their relationship will ultimately determine whether the New Orleans Hornets will be a perennial playoff team or a franchise that could be contracted.