Former Michigan State star Adreian Payne was shot & killed in Orlando, Florida, early Monday morning, the Orange County Sheriff's Office said.
He was transported to the hospital, where he was pronounced dead. Payne, who was the 15th pick by the Atlanta Hawks in the 2014 NBA draft, was 31.
A man named Lawrence Dority has been arrested for the shooting on a first-degree murder warrant.
Payne was a member of the All-Big Ten second team in 2 of his 4 seasons (2013, 2014) with Tom Izzo's squad. He averaged 16.4 points per game and 7.3 rebounds per game for the Spartans & led the team to the Elite Eight in the 2013-14 season.
Golden State Warriors star Draymond Green, who was Payne's teammate for two seasons at Michigan State, tweeted broken heart emojis.
The 6-foot-10 standout played 4 seasons in the NBA with multiple teams. In 2018, he was waived by the Orlando Magic after he was named in a report that stated he had been involved in an alleged sexual assault at Michigan State in 2010. No charges were filed in that case.
Payne never played in the NBA again but spent the last few years of his career overseas.
During his time at Michigan State, Payne befriended an 8-year-old girl with cancer named Lacey Holsworth, who became an inspiration for him and the team. Holsworth helped the team cut down the nets when it won the Big Ten tournament in 2014. Weeks later, Holsworth died.
In September, Payne tweeted that he was taking a break from basketball because his 4-year-old son Amari had to undergo a brain procedure. He said basketball was not as important as his family.
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Source: ESPN
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