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76ers star Joel Embiid takes shot at Suns No. 1 pick Deandre Ayton

Posted at 6:31 PM, Jun 21, 2018
and last updated 2018-06-21 21:45:09-04

The skill set of center Deandre Ayton, the No. 1 pick in the 2018 NBA Draft, has often been compared to Philadelphia 76ers star center Joel Embiid.

After being taken by the Phoenix Suns with that top pick Thursday night, Embiid made it clear he doesn't care for that comparison.

"Don’t compare Ayton to me either... I play DEFENSE," Embiid tweeted.

Embiid, a 7-footer from Cameroon, was the No. 3 overall pick in the 2014 NBA Draft and an All-Star Game selection in 2018. He was also named to the NBA's All-Defensive Second Team in 2018.

The defensive ability of the 7-foot-1 Ayton has been called into question by a number of NBA Draft experts, even those who believe he is the best overall prospect in the 2018 draft. Sean Miller, Ayton's coach at UA, dismissed those concerns. "I think anybody that criticizes his defense doesn’t know the game," Miller said last month.