New inside player: It feels incredible to join the Lakers. I want to become the core of inside defense.

In a previous NBA preseason game, the Los Angeles Lakers, playing at home, defeated the Golden State Warriors 126-116 and achieved their first victory of the preseason. After the game, Lakers starting center Deandre Ayton accepted an interview with reporters. In the interview, he also talked about his feelings of playing for the Lakers and head coach JJ Redick's requirements for him.

When talking about his feelings of playing for the Lakers, Ayton said: I once discussed this issue with my teammate Rui Hachimura. I never thought in my life that I could become a Laker player one day. Joining the Lakers is an incredible feeling for me. Everyone really gave me a lot of love and I had a lot of fun playing on the court today. Ayton added: This is the feeling of going home I want, to be able to hear the cheers of the fans on the court, to feel the positive energy on and off the court, etc. I know it's not an official game yet, but I've definitely felt a lot of love from the Lakers fans and I'm really enjoying it.

When talking about Redick's requirements for him, Ayton continued: JJ (Redick) really put forward strict requirements for me. He has always emphasized that he hopes the inside players can protect the penalty area. He is very concerned about the importance of this. He hopes that I can play a greater role on the defensive end, protect the team's inside and play a key role. I just try to be an important part of it. I hope the whole world and the league know that I am the center of the Lakers. I am also the core figure of the team's interior defense. It is not easy to break through my defense.

So far in the preseason, Ayton has averaged 21.7 minutes per game in the first three games, averaging 7.3 points, 7.7 rebounds, 2 assists, 1 steal, and 1.7 blocks per game. He also has 2 turnovers and 1 foul. His field goal percentage is 50% and his free throw percentage is 66.7%. In the third preseason game against the Warriors, Ayton made 6 of 8 shots and 2 of 2 free throws in 26 minutes and 17 seconds of playing time. He scored 14 points, 8 rebounds, 5 assists, 2 steals and 1 block. He also had 1 turnover and 1 foul, including 3 offensive rebounds, with a plus-minus of +3. Ayton's performance in the first two games of the preseason was not particularly outstanding. Although his performance on the defensive end was reliable, his contribution on the offensive end was also significantly lower. But in this game, Ayton finally performed both offensively and defensively, which also allowed Lakers fans to see his ability. I don’t know if Ayton can perform at a higher level as he continues to adapt to the team’s rhythm.