After two years as point guard with the Louisiana RaginСAPP Cajuns, Elfrid Payton knew he was making progress as a major college basketball player.
Now, after earning a gold medal as a member of the triumphant United States team in last summerСAPPs FIBA U19 World Championships, Payton also knows he can take the court against some of the best players in the world.
A helpful word from Cajun coach Bob Marlin helped Payton to get his foot in the door, the last player invited to try out for the USA team coached by Billy Donovan, and he made the most of the opportunity.
Payton not only made the squad, but played in all nine contests and was the starting point guard by the time the USA met Serbia in the championship finals.
СAPPI was trying to get into (summer) camps, and it just wasnСAPPt working out,СAPP Payton said. СAPPThen it hit him (Marlin) that I was still just 19 СAPP I started (school) early СAPP and the trials were coming up.
СAPPIt was an opportunity to present myself. I was one of 26 to try out, and the only one from a mid-major. I just needed a shot to prove myself.СAPP
Any doubts were soon quieted by Donovan.
СAPPMy second day there, coach Donovan called me to the side and said, СAPPWe know you can play point guard; weСAPPd like to see you do other things, too,СAPP СAPP Payton said. СAPPWe were in 5-on-5 drills, for the most part, and he said, СAPPThis is a big day for you.СAPP
СAPPThatСAPPs when I knew I had a legitimate chance to make the team.СAPP
Payton had game. He also already had a passport, after starting the summer in China as a member of a Fellowship of Christian Athletes tour to СAPPtalk about the Bible and play a few games.СAPP
By the time the World Championship tournament began, Payton had earned his place among talented teammates.
He averaged 6.1 points, 2.1 assists, 2.3 steals and 2.3 rebounds per game, hitting 57 percent of his shots from the floor and making 9-of-10 free throws. In the 82-68 title game victory over Serbia, he had 9 points, 6 assists and 5 steals.
That championship game, in which a 13-1 surge widened the AmericansСAPP lead from 57-53 to 70-54, was one of the few close ones. The USA flattened nine foes in 11 days by an average of 39 points per game, including 32 per game in three medal round contests.
СAPPSerbia was the only team that really gave us any competition,СAPP said Payton, who also helped dispense Serbia 71-62 in pool play. СAPPThe other teams were talented, but we had depth to go full court with everyone and just wore them down.
СAPPThere were no egos on the team. We all just wanted to win. Nobody cared about minutes played. Everybody had the same team goal. Our minutes were all the same. We were blowing everybody out.
СAPPBilly (Donovan) did a good job of staying on us, telling us each game will get harder.СAPP
The experience helped to accelerate the maturation process for Payton.
СAPPThere were a lot of good leaders on the team, and I think that rubbed off on me,СAPP he said. СAPPThere were some great basketball minds there, and the coaches gave us some good little speeches.
СAPPIt was a good, insightful trip.СAPP
Payton learned to adapt to different playing styles, different styles of officiating, different food and jet lag. Perhaps just as important, others have learned about him.
СAPPThis opened doors for Elfrid,СAPP said Marlin, who is in his fourth year at the helm and is counting on Payton to lead the Cajuns. СAPPIt was a productive opportunity for him.
СAPPHeСAPPs not anonymous any more. IСAPPve heard from a number of NBA teams. TheyСAPPre really going to watch him and focus on what he does for the next two years. HeСAPPs on their radar now. TheyСAPPre going to track him.
СAPPThey like what theyСAPPve seen.СAPP
Others are learning what Marlin already knew, that Payton takes all challenges head-on.
СAPPHe has answered the bell every time his name has been called,СAPP Marlin said. СAPPHeСAPPs been used to СAPPplaying upСAPP his whole life. He is the most opportunistic guy IСAPPve ever coached. He has the mental makeup to make his dreams come true.
СAPPHe creates opportunities for all of us. He can see his defender, and the other defenders, too. Magic Johnson had that ability.
СAPPHeСAPPs got to get his shooting percentage up, and keep it up. ThatСAPPs what scouts want to see. And, he will. You can see how he leads the team. HeСAPPs already a great lead guard with his defense and ball handling.СAPP
Payton started 11 of 32 games as a freshman at UL Lafayette, averaging 7.2 points, 3.6 rebounds, 3.0 assists and 1.16 steals per game.
He improved dramatically in 2012-13 and started in all 33 games.
Payton was the only player in the nation to average 15 points, five rebounds, five assists and two steals per game. He ranked 12th nationally in steals.
The point guard ranks third in school history with 80 steals in a year and fourth in school history with 181 assists in a year.
As expected, his performance as a sophmore earned Payton UL LafayetteСAPPs Most Outstanding Player of the Year and the Beryl Shipley Leadership Award. Shipley led the Cajuns in the 1960s and 1970s; he was the first coach to integrate a major sports team at a large public university in the Deep South.
Payton was named to the 2013 Lou Henson Preseason All-America team. That accolade is presented annually to the top mid-major basketball players in the country by Insider.com. ItСAPPs named in honor one of only 12 coaches in the history of the game to take two schools to the Final Four.
The national and school records and awards hint at more progress to come, and PaytonСAPPs not remotely satisfied yet.
СAPPI want to improve my free throw percentage,СAPP Payton said. СAPPI want to better my shot СAPP my mid-range shooting, let alone my three-pointers. I want to stretch my range even more.
СAPPI want to do a good job in the paint, and look for more opportunities for the big men and for our other shooters. My defense has gotten better.СAPP
The Gretna, La., native made a splashy debut in the Cajundome before he ever wore a UL Lafayette uniform, pouring in 23 points for John Ehret High School in a semifinal loss to eventual champion Scotlandville High in the LHSAA Top 28 Tournament.
СAPPThat was disappointing,СAPP he recalls.СAPPThat was a game we felt we should have won.СAPP
The Ehret defeat did nothing to change MarlinСAPPs opinion of Payton, whose father, Elfrid, was a 2010 inductee into the Canadian Football League Hall of Fame after a stellar career as an intimidating linebacker.
In fact, Canada was PaytonСAPPs only travel abroad until this year, which was capped early in the fall semester with a Cajun team trip to Spain.
СAPPWe spent two or three weeks there,СAPP Payton said. СAPPIt was an important trip for bonding and team chemistry. ItСAPPs good to know this person is for you, that if you mess up, heСAPPll help you. Our gold medal team had that.
СAPPThat was good for us. That was something that Coach really pushed for.СAPP
Marlin said his team managed to get in 10 practices and СAPPwas able to play some games, but the travel and bonding were the most important part.
СAPPWe learned a lot about each other,СAPP he said.
In a revealing exercise, each member of the 33-person travel party shared his or her five HСAPPs СAPP history, heartache, highlight, hero and hope СAPP with the others.
СAPPItСAPPs one of the best things IСAPPve ever done as a coach,СAPP Marlin said.
It ranks right up there with signing Elfrid Payton and watching him mature into a Cajun leader with a World Championship, Gold Medal pedigree.