A Royal Selection: Cameron Payne

Height: 6’2 Weight: 180

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The Player: Usually players from the Ohio Valley Conference get little recognition towards the NBA Draft, but this year Cameron Payne is the exception. Payne who spent the last two seasons with the Murray State Racers was the star of their team, and showed qualities throughout his tenure that have NBA scouts thinking he can find a place in the league.

For Payne, the main attraction is his offense. Payne showed high potential to being an offensive threat, by being both his team’s main scorer and distributor. On the defensive end he was a ball-hawk, showing from time to time impressive defensive instincts which resulted in him recording steals at a solid rate. Overall, Payne showed to be a big-time player in his conference, but the big question marks are his inconsistency is how legit his production really was considering the level of competition he was facing?

Statistics: Like I mentioned before, Payne was a stud in his conference. Last season, the OVC Male Athlete of the Year averaged 20.2 points and 6 assists per contest, displaying his dominance on the offensive end. Payne’s stats also showed his aggressiveness on the defense as well by averaging 1.7 steals a game.

Overall, the stats show that there’s no denying that Payne produced at Murray State. Compared to other top prospects, his stats are equivalent if not better, but because of the conference he played in has scouts thinking his stats are overrating his actual skills.

Draft Range: Weeks ago, Kings fans probably never even heard of Cameron Payne, and now he is a prime candidate for the Kings to select at No. 6. As the days get nearer and nearer towards the draft, Payne’s draft stock has dramatically risen and the idea of Payne becoming a King is crawling into the minds of fans.

If the mock drafts aren’t convincing enough, the Kings latest workout might. Last Thursday, the Kings hosted a workout containing both Payne and Willie Cauley-Stein, possibly two prospects that are high on their board. If Payne impressed them enough, he might be booking another trip back to Sacramento at the end of the month.

The Fit: With the Kings lacking playmakers on their current roster, Payne is a possible solution for that problem. Whether he starts or plays off the bench, Payne’s ability to make plays for others and himself will help with the Kings getting better acclimated with their new and fast-paced offense.

Payne also can help contribute on the defensive side as well. From time to time, Payne showed his defensive instincts by racking up the steals, instincts that could potentially have him being an elite ball-hawk at the professional level. Overall Payne does bring needs that the Kings have to fulfilled, but let’s be honest, what don’t the Kings need going forward?

Final Thoughts: If able to reach his full potential, Cameron Payne could be one of the highlights of this draft class. However, the question that I personally have towards Payne is his inconsistency, which is a notorious trend that the Kings have had in recent memory. Other than his passing, there’s seems to be nothing else you can bank on in his game, therefore I see other options available for the Kings at #6.

If the Kings do decide to select Payne at No. 6, it wouldn’t be the worst thing in the world. Who knows, Payne might just be that missing piece that brings the Kings back to relevancy (he has the potential to do so). However, I think that with the Kings having the sixth pick, there are going to be better options for them on the table.

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