Deandre Ayton made his presence felt in Los Angeles’ first preseason victory, a 126–116 win over Golden State on Sunday night at Crypto.com Arena.
The Lakers improved to 1–2 behind a balanced effort led by Austin Reaves’ 21 points, while Ayton contributed 14 points, eight rebounds, and strong interior defense.
Speaking after the game, the new Lakers center reflected on the atmosphere and his return to the court in front of home fans. “I wanted to come home and, you know, hear the fans and feel that energy,” Ayton said. “So, today was a good little warm welcome… I know it’s not an official game, but it definitely showed some love to me and I enjoyed it.”
Ayton joined the Lakers this summer in a move aimed at bolstering the team’s frontcourt depth. On Sunday, he delivered an efficient 6-of-8 shooting night while helping Los Angeles control the boards.
He also emphasized the importance of defense, crediting head coach JJ Redick for pushing him to set the tone inside. “Just really changing the narrative of protecting the rim on the defensive end,” Ayton said. “JJ’s really put it on me and put an emphasis that he wants his bigs protecting the rim. So, I’m just trying to be a big part of that… to let the world and the league know that I’m the Lakers center and the anchor of the defense.”
Ayton praised Reaves’ playmaking and ability to create opportunities. “I told him he’s phenomenal, especially his crafty shot creating,” Ayton said. “Now I know how to get him open and how he operates. He’s fantastic.”
While the Lakers played without Luka Doncic and LeBron James, Ayton expressed excitement about eventually sharing the court with the Slovenian star. “Trust me, I talk about it every time,” he said. “I tell him all the time, I can tell watching us play you’re going to make things really easy. He just gave me a little chuck and a little laugh… but we working and we going to be prepared for his arrival.”
