So how did he make it into the lottery? He’s a quiet player. What catches people off-guard is, he’s 20 years old as a junior. His birthday isn’t until February. He’s been playing against older players most of his life and is now starting to excel. A recent growth spurt a few years back allowed him to accentuate his skill level along with his physical tools. He’s a late bloomer, and still young.
His father, also named Elfrid Payton, is a Hall of Fame defensive end for the Canadian Football League. Toughness runs in the family. While Elfrid looks slight of frame, he doesn’t get pushed around easily and takes the contact well.
He has all of the upside in the world. He has the foundation of triple threat skills. He can provide elite NBA-level defense if he works at it. He has elite size for his position. He’s an above average athlete with his lateral quickness, directional quickness, and will occasionally dunk on a big man. Shooting and strength can be fixed. Perhaps this quiet kid will have his talent shine best at the NBA level. His productivity will speak for itself.