Payne looking to give back with basketball camp, celebrity game

Adreian Payne had bounced around the NBA and its development league so much the last three seasons he couldn’t be blamed for having a suitcase permanently packed. But that all came to a sudden and screeching halt last February.

That’s when the Jefferson High School graduate was informed by the Minnesota Timberwolves he was suffering from a rare blood disorder. His blood platelet count was far too low. He was easily prone to severe bleeding.

That’s not a good thing when your night job calls for bumping and jostling for position at basketball’s highest level.

“I’d never had that before,” he recalled. “It was scary for me and my family.”

Fully recovered but out of work with the Timberwolves, the 6-foot-10, 215-pound forward is looking to extend his NBA career as a free agent. He maintains a residence at Minneapolis and works out at Michigan State University in Lansing, Michigan, where he played for coach Tom Izzo (2010-14), Atlanta and with his Jefferson coach, Art Winston, who’s now the boys coach at Belmont.

On Payne’s immediate to-do list is hosting a basketball camp for area youth Thursday at Belmont. A celebrity game will follow that night. The camp and game are open to the public.

“I’m just trying to do something so people in Dayton can come out and see some good basketball,” he said. “Next year I hope to get some NBA players to come out and play in it.”

Payne and Cody Latimer led Jefferson to a Division IV basketball state championship in 2010. At MSU, Payne was a teammate of Wayne product Travis Trice, who also continues to play professionally since leaving the Spartans. Trice signed with the Brisbane Bullets of the NBL in Australia last week.

Another area product, Dunbar grad Norris Cole, is with the Oklahoma City Thunder.

Payne was a first-round draft pick – 15th overall — of the Atlanta Hawks in 2014. He was the area’s most recent first-rounder until Franklin grad Luke Kennard was taken No. 10 overall by the Detroit Pistons last month. Kennard played the last two seasons at Duke.

Payne was traded that rookie midseason by the Hawks to the Timberwolves. He responded by averaging a career-best 7.2 points and 5.4 rebounds and started 22 games.

But since then he’s toggled back and forth from the recently rebranded NBA Gatorade (developmental) League and the Timberwolves. Minnesota declined to pick up a contract option for a fourth season.

Payne speaks to Winston daily. He also remains in contact with Latimer, who’s entering his fourth season as a receiver with the Denver Broncos following a solid three-season college career at Indiana.

Here’s what Payne, 26, recently had to say about the camp and other related subjects:

Q: How's your health?

A: My health is good. I'm 100 percent now. I was out in the middle of (last) season when I was sick. I'm doing better now.

Q: What's playing in the NBA like?

A: It's been a learning process the whole time. I've still been learning. I've been with two different teams and three-four different coaches. It's been ups and downs. I've just been trying to learn a lot and continue to grow as a player.

Q: What was your first ah-ha NBA moment?

A: The practices were different. My first year I got traded and that was shocking. I really didn't know how the NBA works. Once I got traded, then my eyes opened. It's a job and they take it serious. It's all about being a professional and continuing to work. That was big in my career and made me have to look at myself and how I approach this game on and off the court.

Q: What's different about the NBA?

A: The players are much bigger, longer and more athletic. The guys in this league are strong men. They've been doing this for years. Coming out of college and going to the pros is a big transition.

Q: Who was the first to school you in a game?

A: David West caught me sleeping one time and dunked on me.

Q: Are you a trash-talker?

A: The trash-talking is part of basketball. Some people are known for trash-talking. I really don't talk too much trash like everybody is talking to me.

Q: Who was your toughest opponent?

A: LaMarcus Aldridge (6-11 Spurs forward). He's very skilled and strong."

Q: What do you envision as your future?

A: I definitely feel that my best basketball is ahead of me. I just want to continue to get better and grow on and off the court. That's why I want to have this basketball camp, so I can help kids from my community and where I'm from to have an opportunity to do things.


ADREIAN PAYNE BASKETBALL CAMP

When: Thursday, July 13

Where: Belmont High School

Who: Boys and girls K-12

Cost: $15

K-6 registration: 8-9:15 a.m.

K-6 morning session: 9:30-11:30 a.m.

7-12 registration: 12:30-1:45 p.m.

7-12 afternoon session: 2-4 p.m.

Celebrity game: Doors open at 7 p.m.; game at 8 p.m.

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