Mike Carter-USA TODAY Sports
Head coach Mike Izzo was one of many who thought that Adreian Payne would forego his senior season with the Michigan State Spartans and enter the draft. Turns out he was wrong.
“I was pleasantly surprised, if you want the truth,” Izzo said.
Payne averaged 10.5 points, 7.6 rebounds and 1.3 blocks as a junior last season, and it has been quite a journey for him as a student. ESPN reported the Payne was diagnosed as cognitively disabled as a child, so to be able to graduate college is quite an amazing accomplishment. Congratulations to the young man on an excellent decision.
“I like doing things the right way,” he said. “With me graduating, I’m able to set a standard and be a role model for kids to look up to so I can give hope to another child that may have the same situation as me to let them know that it’s possible.
The Final Four will definitely be a goal for Payne, because his recruiting class has never made it quite that far in the tournament.
“That’s very important,” Payne said. “I think we’re very motivated, Keith and I, to lead the team to a Final Four and a national championship. I think we have a great team, we have the pieces.”
It will be such an amazing season of college basketball next year and you can bet that I will keep my eye on Payne and the Spartans.
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