University of Minnesota Athletics
Worth The Wait: Guard Kevin Payton
11/22/2006 12:00:00 AM | Athletics
Kevin Payton doesn’t like to think of himself as a freshman. He also doesn’t want to be binded to a certain position on the court. He simply wants to be considered a basketball player.
Payton was expected to contribute last season as a true freshman, until a shoulder injury and subsequent surgery forced him to take a redshirt year. As a result, he spent the season doing his learning off the court, and taking cues from the 2005-06 senior class.
“Last year, I wanted to play, but that’s last year,” Payton said. “I’m just happy I had the chance to be around and watch Adam Boone, Vincent Grier, Moe Hargrow, J’son Stamper and Zach Puchtel play. They had so much leadership and fight. It was a great learning experience for me. I’m trying to take what they gave me and use it on the court.”
This year, Payton said his shoulder is 100 percent. And after a year of watching his teammates and wishing he could play, there is no question that he feels ready for his chance to prove himself at the Big Ten level and as an integral piece of the Gophers’ squad.
“I don’t see myself as a freshman,” he said. “I see myself as a player on the court. I’m out there for my team, and I’m trying to provide whatever is needed.
“I want to accomplish big things,” he said. “Try to get our chemistry right, grow as a team, find our trust and get through adversity. We’re ready to have a great season this year. I’m not looking ahead, I’m looking to right now.”
Payton’s pure athletic ability was a main factor leading the Gophers’ coaching staff to recruit him out of Camden High School in Camden, New Jersey. And his sport experiences extend way beyond basketball.
Growing up in Austria, where his father, Charles, played professional basketball, Payton instead spent many years playing soccer with his friends. When he moved to New Jersey his junior year of high school to focus on basketball, Payton joined the track team on the urging of a teammate. One year later, he was the state champion in the 400 meters.
Payton’s combination of size, speed and strength have the Minnesota coaches excited about getting him on the court this season, where his 6’5” frame could often be a match-up problem for opposing guards.
“His greatest asset now is his athletic ability,” Gophers assistant coach Jim Molinari said. “It allows him to be very fast with the ball, spread out on defense, and have a great stance. It’s an ever-evolving process as a freshman, but he’s off to a good start.”
More than arguably the most athletic player on the Gophers’ roster this year, Payton is also one of the most versatile, with the ability to play numerous positions. He is expected to see playing time at both guard spots as well as small forward. Much of his minutes will likely come at point guard – ironically, a position he doesn’t have much experience playing.
But Payton said he is more than willing to adapt to whatever role will help the team the most.
“I never really played point in high school,” Payton said. “I brought the ball up the court sometimes against pressure, but I wasn’t ever the point guard for an entire game. This year, Coach Monson told me, ‘KP, we need you to run point and back up Limar (Wilson).’ I said I was happy to fill that role if that’s where I was needed. And then he said, ‘We’re going to need you at the shooting guard and the small forward, too.’ I told him ‘Whatever it is you need, Coach, I’ll try to provide it.’”
Payton said that he got his all-around game from his father, who spent hours with him in the gym and told him to learn to play every position. As a result, he can fill in on the court wherever he is needed and understands how to best serve his teammates.
“Since I’ve played every position there is, I can put myself in whatever role my teammates need,” Payton said. “If I’m seeing Spencer Tollackson in the post, I know how to give him the ball because I know how I used to like getting the ball when I was a post player.”
Payton showed flashes of a bright future in his first appearance and start as a Gopher in Minnesota’s season-opening victory over North Dakota State on Nov. 13. While he scored just three points, he added an impressive stat line of six assists and seven rebounds. Most importantly, he limited the Bison’s leading scorer, Ben Woodside, to just six points.
Gopher fans will likely see similar well-rounded games over the course of Payton’s career, as he meshes his natural abilities and unlimited potential while learning to adjust to the college game. Payton is well aware of the high expectations that coaches and fans have imposed on him, and is a player who is always looking to take his game to the next step.
“I learned that from my dad,” he said. “Every aspect of my game needs work. I’m not a perfect player; nobody is. There’s not just one thing I need to improve in, it’s every aspect. I wouldn’t consider myself to have any strengths, just a whole lot of weaknesses that need work.”
Molinari said that Payton’s level of commitment and dedication to basketball and emotional connection with the game are what sets him apart from many other athletes.
“Some people love basketball for what they can get out of it: scholarships, notoriety,” Molinari said. “Kevin really loves the game of basketball. People who love something always want to learn as much as they can about it, and Kevin’s a good learner.
“The reason that I think he’s here, is that when he was in Camden, he would go back to the gym every night all year long, whether he was at basketball or track practice, to work on his game. I think that is what made him a good player and given him the opportunity at Minnesota.”
Regardless of how he got to Minnesota, or what the future holds, Payton is simply excited to be able to contribute this year, and be back to doing what he loves best: playing basketball.
“To get out there on the court, especially with this team, it’s great,” Payton said. “This team has great chemistry, great coaches. It’s fun. I’m ready.”
