Pac-12 Basketball: Ranking of 25 best players from last decade (2013-23)

1. Deandre Ayton

One of the nation’s top recruits back in 2017, Ayton really established himself on the basketball court after choosing Arizona. A 7’1 center originally from the Bahamas, Ayton would spend just that single season with the Wildcats but clearly emerged as a major player and dominant frontcourt presence, and not just at the Pac-12 level.

In that lone freshman season, Ayton averaged 20.1 points and 11.6 rebounds, putting up monster numbers for the Wildcats. He made 63% of his 2-point attempts, accumulated 1.9 blocks per game, and led Arizona to regular season and tournament titles in the Pac-12. He had a 29-point, 18-rebound effort against Alabama and had a pair of 32-point performances in the semifinals and finals of the Pac-12 Tournament. Unfortunately, the Wildcats were upset in the opening round of the NCAA Tournament by Buffalo.

Ayton was quite possibly the best athlete the Pac-12 has had in recent memory. He was the Pac-12’s top scorer and one of the nation’s best rebounders and really racked up the awards. Ayton was a First Team All-American, Pac-12 Player of the Year and Rookie of the Year, Tournament MVP, and also took home the Karl Malone Award. Ayton was then selected with the 1st pick of the 2018 NBA Draft by the nearby Phoenix Suns and continues to be a dynamic center at the professional level.