Simon Elfrink
Contributing Writer
Former Murray State guard Cameron Payne was added to the Phoenix Suns roster on Tuesday, June 30.
Since his induction into the NBA in 2015, the 1st round, 14th pick of the draft has played in several different jerseys, first with the Oklahoma City Thunder, followed by the Chicago Bulls and even nine games with the Cleveland Cavaliers. Following the 2018-19 season, Payne averaged 5.9 points and 2.5 assists per game with a .397 field goal percentage.
Up until the COVID-19 outbreak, Payne did not get the chance to touch an NBA court, having spent most of the season playing for the Texas Legends in the G-League. While playing for the Legends, Payne led his team in points per game, averaging 23.2. Payne also averaged 7.3 assists and 4.7 rebounds per contest. Payne opened eyes on Feb. 8, scoring 43 points in a contest against the Iowa Wolves. February continued to be a successful one for Payne and he was named the G-League player of the week for the last week of the month.
Now that the Suns have picked him up, Payne’s next step is to gear up for the first game since the pandemic on July 31 in Orlando, Florida against the Washington Wizards. The Suns will be chasing the tails of the Memphis Grizzlies, who are six games ahead, for the last playoff spot in the Western Conference.
Payne’s summer continued to fill with triumphs as the Racer Hall of Fame selected him as one of ten members to be inducted for the 2020 Hall of Fame class.
Payne stepped onto Murray State Campus and wasted no time opening eyes on the court. In his debut game against Valparaiso, Payne scored 21 points, going 4-10 from three-point range with five rebounds and four assists. Payne finished the season with a solid 16.8 points and 5.4 assists per game and tallied nine OVC Freshman of the Week awards during his first year at the collegiate level.
The following season, Payne blew fans and opponents away with one stellar performance after another, such as a 46-point game against Western Kentucky University in December 2014. By the end of the season, Payne was averaging 20.2 points per contest, with six assists per game to boot. Payne reached the 1,000 point milestone before any Racer before him, and his elite scoring at the collegiate level helped him earn the OVC Player of the Year that season, as well as an eventual draft selection to the Oklahoma City Thunder.
