Phoenix Suns' big Deandre Ayton named to Bahamas' roster for Olympic pre-qualifying tourney
Phoenix Suns center Deandre Ayton will be on the Bahamas' men's national team roster for the FIBA Olympic Pre-Qualifying Tournament of the Americas in Argentina, which will be held in August.
Ayton is among 18 qualifiers on the roster announced Monday by The Bahamas Basketball Federation.
The pre-Olympic Qualifier will feature eight teams, divided into two groups of four. The Bahamas, which is Ayton's native country, will be in Group A along with host Argentina, Cuba and Panama. Group B features Uruguay, Virgin Islands, Chile and Colombia.
The Bahamas is ranked 56th in the world and 12th in the Americas.
The tournament winner will compete next season at one of FIBA’s Olympic qualifiers ahead of the 2024 Paris Summer Olympics. Overall, 40 countries that did not qualify for the FIBA Basketball World Cup this year still can make it to the Olympics through the pre-qualifying tournaments. The World Cup takes place Aug. 25-Sept. 10 in the Philippines, Japan and Indonesia. Yuta Watanabe, acquired by ths Suns this off-season, will play for Japan in the World Cup.
Ayton had been the focus of ongoing trade speculation this off-season, but team officials opted to keep Ayton as a key part of its lineup alongside Devin Booker, Kevin Durant and Bradley Beal, who was acquired from the Wizards in a trade involving Chris Paul and Landry Shamet.
New head coach Frank Vogel has said he thinks the 7-foot big is among the best centers in the league and has the potential to be one of the NBA's top defensive players.
During a visit to the Bahamas this summer, where Ayton made a $10,000 donation to Junior Achievement Bahamas, Ayton told a local television station that felt ''the whole world hating me'' but was intent on changing the narrative about him this upcoming season.
More: 'Desire to be great': Phoenix Suns GM James Jones on Deandre Ayton 'hating me' comments
This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: Phoenix Suns Deandre Ayton on Bahamas' roster for Olympic pre-qualifying tournament
