Deandre Ayton: NBA star dumps Nigeria for Bahamas

NBA star Deandre Ayton of the Phoenix Suns is topping the trends on social media following a major decision

The 6' 11" center plays in the NBA for the Phoenix Suns and has been one of the best big men in the league.

Ayton, who was born to a Nigerian father and a Jamaican and Bahamian mother, started his career as the top overall NBA draft pick in 2018.

He showed off Nigeria at the 2018 NBA Draft and there were talks that he could switch his international allegiance.

Midway through a week-long stretch of Olympic qualifying matches for the 2024 Games in Paris, Ayton is scheduled to compete for the Bahamas.

Before relocating to the United States for high school basketball, Ayton was born and raised in Nassau.

He had participated in competitions for the Bahamas national team, most recently in 2016.

The Bahamas and 39 other nations have no chance of qualifying for the 2024 Olympics through the 2023 FIBA Basketball World Cup.

So, like Nigeria's senior national team D'Tigers, the Bahamas are competing in the Americas division of the FIBA Olympic Pre-Qualifying Tournament among seven other teams.

The victor of this August's bracket advances to the FIBA Olympic Qualifying Tournament, which takes place in July 2024.

Ayton will not join news Suns teammate Chimezie Metu who will captain Nigeria's D'Tigers for their FIBA Pre-qualifying tournament games.