Elfrid Payton (basketball)
No. 4 – Orlando Magic | |||||||||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Position | Point guard | ||||||||||||||
League | NBA | ||||||||||||||
Personal information | |||||||||||||||
Born | Gretna, Louisiana | February 22, 1994||||||||||||||
Nationality | American | ||||||||||||||
Listed height | 6 ft 4 in (1.93 m) | ||||||||||||||
Listed weight | 185 lb (84 kg) | ||||||||||||||
Career information | |||||||||||||||
High school | John Ehret (Jefferson Parish, Louisiana) | ||||||||||||||
College | Louisiana–Lafayette (2011–2014) | ||||||||||||||
NBA draft | 2014: 1st round, 10th overall pick | ||||||||||||||
Selected by the Philadelphia 76ers | |||||||||||||||
Playing career | 2014–present | ||||||||||||||
Career history | |||||||||||||||
2014–present | Orlando Magic | ||||||||||||||
Career highlights and awards | |||||||||||||||
| |||||||||||||||
Stats at NBA.com | |||||||||||||||
Stats at Basketball Reference | |||||||||||||||
Medals
|
Elfrid Payton Jr. (born February 22, 1994) is an American professional basketball player for the Orlando Magic of the National Basketball Association (NBA). He played college basketball at University of Louisiana at Lafayette, where in 2014 he won the Lefty Driesell Award as national college defensive player of the year. He is the son of former Canadian Football League player Elfrid Payton.[1] He was drafted with the 10th overall pick in the 2014 NBA draft.
College career
Louisiana–Lafayette (2011–2014)
Payton was an unheralded recruit from John Ehret High School in Jefferson Parish, Louisiana. The 6'2.5" point guard chose to attend Louisiana–Lafayette, and after a promising freshman season in 2011–12, Payton came into his own as a sophomore in 2012–13. He averaged 15.9 points, 5.5 assists, 5.6 rebounds and 2.4 steals per game[1] and was named first team All-Sun Belt Conference.[2]
After his breakout sophomore season, Payton was a late addition to Team USA's U19 World Championships Trials Roster to compete in the 2013 FIBA Under-19 World Championship. After making the team, Payton started in all nine games for Team USA, on a team loaded with talent including other players such as Marcus Smart, Aaron Gordon, Jahlil Okafor and Jarnell Stokes. The team ultimately defeated the Serbian team led by Vasilije Micić and won the gold medal, going 9–0 in the tournament.[3]
As a junior in 2013–14, Payton emerged as one of the top defensive players in college basketball. He raised his averages to 19.2 points, 5.9 assists, 6.0 rebounds and 2.3 steals per game and led the Ragin' Cajuns to the 2014 NCAA Tournament. He was again named first team All-Sun Belt and was the conference Defensive Player of the Year. At the end of the season, he earned national defensive player of the year by winning the Lefty Driesell Award.[4]
In April 2014, Payton declared for the NBA draft, forgoing his final year of college eligibility.[5]
College statistics
Year | Team | GP | GS | MPG | FG% | 3P% | FT% | RPG | APG | SPG | BPG | PPG |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
2011–12 | Louisiana–Lafayette | 32 | 10 | 22.7 | .448 | .000 | .564 | 3.6 | 3.0 | 1.2 | .3 | 7.2 |
2012–13 | Louisiana–Lafayette | 33 | 33 | 35.5 | .475 | .320 | .643 | 5.6 | 5.5 | 2.4 | .6 | 15.9 |
2013–14 | Louisiana–Lafayette | 35 | 35 | 35.9 | .509 | .259 | .609 | 6.0 | 5.9 | 2.3 | .6 | 19.2 |
Career | 100 | 78 | 31.6 | .485 | .268 | .611 | 5.1 | 4.9 | 2.0 | .5 | 14.3 |
Professional career
Orlando Magic (2014–present)
On June 26, 2014, Payton was selected with the 10th overall pick in the 2014 NBA draft by the Philadelphia 76ers. He was traded to the Orlando Magic on draft night for Dario Šarić, a future first-round pick, and a future second-round pick.[6] On July 2, he signed his rookie scale contract with the Magic.[7] On January 16, 2015, Payton had a season-best game with 22 points and 12 assists in a loss to the Memphis Grizzlies. He was subsequently named the Eastern Conference Rookie of the Month for January and was named a Rising Stars Challenge participant.[8][9] On March 18, he recorded his first career triple-double with 15 points, 12 assists and 10 rebounds in a loss to the Dallas Mavericks.[10] With a second straight triple-double recorded by Payton on March 20, he became the first Magic player to post consecutive triple-doubles and the first NBA rookie to do it since Antoine Walker, with the Boston Celtics in 1997. Payton's 22 points, 10 rebounds and 10 assists helped the Magic claim a 111–104 win over the Portland Trail Blazers.[11]
On November 18, 2015, Payton scored a career-high 24 points in a 104–101 win over the Minnesota Timberwolves.[12] Payton appeared in 116 straight games to begin his career before a left ankle injury forced him to sit out four games in early January 2016. He returned to action on January 14 in London to face the Toronto Raptors, coming off the bench for the first time in 2015–16 and recording four points and four rebounds in a 106–103 overtime loss.[13] On March 23, 2016, he recorded his third career triple-double with 20 points, 10 rebounds and 10 assists in a 118–102 loss to the Detroit Pistons.[14]
International career
In the summer of 2013, Payton was a surprise selection to the United States team for the 2013 FIBA Under-19 World Championship. He averaged 6.1 points and 3.3 rebounds per game in nine games.[3]
NBA career statistics
GP | Games played | GS | Games started | MPG | Minutes per game |
FG% | Field goal percentage | 3P% | 3-point field goal percentage | FT% | Free throw percentage |
RPG | Rebounds per game | APG | Assists per game | SPG | Steals per game |
BPG | Blocks per game | PPG | Points per game | Bold | Career high |
Regular season
Year | Team | GP | GS | MPG | FG% | 3P% | FT% | RPG | APG | SPG | BPG | PPG |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
2014–15 | Orlando | 82 | 63 | 30.4 | .425 | .262 | .551 | 4.3 | 6.5 | 1.7 | .2 | 8.9 |
2015–16 | Orlando | 73 | 69 | 29.4 | .436 | .326 | .589 | 3.6 | 6.4 | 1.2 | .3 | 10.7 |
Career | 155 | 132 | 29.9 | .430 | .306 | .569 | 3.9 | 6.5 | 1.5 | .3 | 9.7 |
References
- ^ a b Eisenberg, Jeff (June 18, 2013). "Little-known Elfrid Payton emerges as the surprise of USA Basketball tryouts". Yahoo.com. Retrieved May 5, 2014.
- ^ "Payton & Long Earn Sun Belt Basketball Honors". RaginCajuns.com. March 6, 2013. Retrieved May 6, 2014.
- ^ a b "ELEVENTH FIBA MEN'S U19 WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP – 2013". USAB.com. Retrieved May 5, 2014.
- ^ Iles, Trey (April 21, 2014). "UL-Lafayette point guard Elfrid Payton wins Lefty Driesell Award". NOLA.com. Retrieved May 5, 2014.
- ^ "UL-Lafayette's Elfrid Payton declares for the NBA draft Monday". NOLA.com. April 4, 2014. Retrieved May 5, 2014.
- ^ Fitzgerald, Matt. "Report: Magic Trade Saric to Sixers for Payton".
- ^ Magic Sign Gordon and Payton
- ^ Payton Named January's Kia NBA Eastern Conference Rookie of the Month
- ^ "Victor Oladipo, Elfrid Payton headed to Rising Stars Challenge". January 28, 2015.
- ^ Nowitzki scores 25, Mavs hang on to beat lowly Magic 107–102
- ^ "Trail Blazers at Magic".
- ^ "Timberwolves vs Magic".
- ^ "Raptors vs Magic".
- ^ "Magic vs Pistons".
External links
- Career statistics from NBA.com and Basketball Reference
- Louisiana–Lafayette bio