Adreian Payne

Adreian DeAngleo Payne (February 19, 1991 – May 9, 2022) was an American professional basketball player.

He played in the National Basketball Association (NBA) for the Atlanta Hawks, Minnesota Timberwolves, and Orlando Magic as well as for several European and Asian teams.

Payne played college basketball for the Michigan State Spartans.

Payne played high school basketball for Jefferson High School.

He posted averages of 15.6 points, 11.3 rebounds and 4.0 blocks as a senior.

As a senior, he led Jefferson to a Division IV state championship and a 19–5 record.

The Dayton Daily News named him first-team All-Area.

He was named a fourth-team Parade All-American.

As a freshman at Michigan State University, Payne averaged 2.5 points and 2.4 rebounds per game, playing in 34 games.

During that year he was diagnosed with permanent reduced lung capacity, an ailment which affected his stamina.

In his sophomore season, he led the Spartans in blocks (39) and finished seventh in the Big 10.

In 37 games (36 starts), he averaged 7.0 points and 4.2 rebounds per game.

He was an Academic All-Big Ten selection.

As a junior, Payne led the Big Ten in free-throw percentage (.848) and blocked a total of 46 shots, good for sixth all-time for a Michigan State player.

In 36 games (24 starts), he averaged 10.5 points and 7.6 rebounds in 25.6 minutes per game.

Payne was named to the Second Team All Big Ten, along with Michigan State teammates Keith Appling and Gary Harris.

Coming into his senior year, Payne was on the preseason Naismith and Wooden Award watchlists.

CBS Sports selected him to the preseason Third Team All-America.

He was named to the Midseason Wooden Award Top 25 watchlist.

Payne was twice named Big Ten Player of the Week.

He missed seven games due to an ankle injury.

At the conclusion of the regular season Payne was named Second Team All-Big Ten.

Their friendship started when Payne met Holsworth during a team-sponsored hospital visit in 2011 and the two began to text and talk frequently afterward.

During the 2013–14 college basketball season, Payne's friendship with Lacey Holsworth, an 8-year-old cancer patient, gained national media attention.

Holsworth, who had neuroblastoma, accompanied Payne at center court on Senior Night and helped him cut down the nets after 2013–14 Michigan State Spartans men's basketball team won the Big Ten men's basketball tournament.

The Michigan State big man scored 41 points in a 93-78 win over Delaware, setting the pace for the 2014 NCAA Tournament.

Moreover, Payne shot 17 of 17 from the free-throw line, which set an NCAA Tournament record for most free throws made in a game without a miss.

Holsworth, also known as "Princess Lacey", died from her cancer on April 8, 2014.

On June 26, 2014, Payne was selected with the 15th overall pick in the 2014 NBA draft by the Atlanta Hawks.

On July 25, he signed his rookie scale contract with the Hawks after averaging 12.5 points and 7.0 rebounds during the 2014 NBA Summer League.

After managing five preseason games for the Hawks, he was ruled out for the start of the regular season with plantar fasciitis in his left foot.

He subsequently missed the first ten games of the season with the injury, and upon his return, he was assigned to the Fort Wayne Mad Ants of the NBA Development League on November 20.

He was recalled by the Hawks on November 23, reassigned on November 28, and recalled again on December 6.

With the maximum allowance of four NBA players already being on assignment to the Mad Ants, the flexible assignment rule was used on December 9 so the Hawks could assign Payne to the Austin Spurs, the San Antonio Spurs' one-to-one D-League affiliate.

On December 22, he was recalled by the Hawks, going on to make his long-awaited NBA debut four days later against the Milwaukee Bucks.

He recorded 2 points and 3 rebounds in 13 minutes of action as the Hawks lost 107–77.

On December 30, the flexible assignment rule was again used to assign Payne to Austin.

He was recalled again on January 12, 2015.

On February 10, 2015, Payne was traded to the Minnesota Timberwolves in exchange for a protected future first-round pick.

On March 9, 2015, while starting in place of Kevin Garnett, he had a season-best game with 16 points, and 15 rebounds in an 89–76 loss to the Los Angeles Clippers.