Mikey D

Go ahead and type in any college basketball recruiting website and you will find MSU's latest recruit landing for their 2010 class. Already considered a top 15 class, MSU will add 6-10 power forward, Adreian Payne, the #23 overall prospect in the nation. I'm starting to get real excited for next year's incoming class. We're reloading all the chambers of our gun.

Payne chose us over Kentucky, Arizona, and West Virginia (some pretty big time programs). He seems like one of those tall guys who's just too damn skinny, but the more you read about him, the more you feel like he's a James Johnson type (the Purdue PF), rather than the Tom Herzog type (the 7-foot skeleton). Here's what I've found out about Payne:

-7'2" wingspan which makes him a tremendous defender and rebounder. Apparently he makes life miserable for whomever he's guarding. That's a nice quality for an MSU player.
-A developing outside game. Let's be honest, we don't have a single big man that can hit an outside shot. We have bruisers and true low-post guys, which is great, but we need a Suton-like presence. Enter Payne. He can already knock down 3's.
-An above the rim player that loves the fast break. He loves running the floor and throwing it down. Tell me Izzo won't like that. A guy with a motor.
-Needs to be more consistent. I'm not sure what this entails...my guess is with his shooting since that is the part of his game that is "developing".

I am very excited. The ESPN analyst calls him a "young Sam Perkins", which is nice compliment. There are already some projections for him at the NBA level, too, which tells you the kind of talent this guy has.

Just don't listen to him talk...I can't tell whether he's just nervous because he was on national television, or if he's slow in the head. But read up on him, and be happy about the newest addition to the 2010 Spartans. Should be a good one.

~Mikey D