NCAA Basketball: 10 best players from state of Louisiana of last decade
By Joey Loose
2. Elfrid Payton – Louisiana
When he transitioned from high school to college back in 2011, few people knew exactly how Payton was, but this 6’3 guard from Gretna made sure that would change. He played his college ball at Louisiana, the Sun Belt school then known as Louisiana-Lafayette and developed into one of mid-major basketball’s brightest stars.
Payton showed glimpses of stardom at the start of his career but really started to break out as a sophomore, averaging 15.9 points per game. He developed into one of the game’s most impressive defenders by the end of his career, which is made more impressive by the fact that he was averaging 19.2 points, 6.0 rebounds, and 5.9 assists per game, while also leading the Ragin’ Cajuns to the NCAA Tournament in 2014. Payton scored 24 points in a first-round loss to Creighton, playing the entire game.
Payton was twice named All-Sun Belt First Team, was the conference’s Defensive Player of the Year as a junior, and won the prestigious Lefty Driesell Award, giving to the nation’s best defender. Not only did he lead the Sun Belt in assists and steals in his final two seasons, but he also lead the conference in points, free throws, and 2-point field goals in that legendary junior season. Taken with the 10th pick of the 2014 NBA Draft, Payton has spent the last eight years in the NBA, playing for four different franchises.