Deandre Ayton was selected with the first overall pick in this year’s NBA Draft after a dominant season at Arizona. As opening night approaches, Paul Pierce went one-on-one with Ayton to see how the Suns’ new big man has been preparing for the season ahead.

Ayton has been working out tirelessly, including doing some basketball yoga sessions, while studying the game’s greats, like Kevin Garnett, and trying to implement new elements into his game ahead of what he hopes to be a stellar rookie campaign.

The rookie opens up about the insult that motivated him and pushed him to become the top pick in the draft. After being called “tall for nothing,” Ayton decided to outwork everybody to become one of the game’s best.

Ayton has come a long way since he was living in the Bahamas, and the Truth sees a bit of Kevin Garnett in the rookie.

“He reminds me a lot of KG for the simple fact that he’s fast in the open court. He can knock down the jumper,” Pierce said. “There’s not one person in NBA history that I know played with the type of intensity KG had, so if (Ayton) can come close to that, this guy’s going to be a Hall of Famer.”

With a talent like Ayton joining a talented young core in Phoenix, there is reason for Suns fans to be excited for the future. Ayton and Devin Booker have the potential to form a dynamic combination for years to come, one that Pierce believes resembles himself and Kevin Garnett during their days in Boston.

“It reminds me a lot about me and KG,” Pierce said. “You’ve got a scorer on the perimeter. You’ve got a guy that can do the inside-outside work and be an intimidating defender. The future’s going to be bright for them.”