![]() ![]() "Here's a kid that you expect nothing out of in class and everything on the basketball court." "See this kid playing varsity basketball as a ninth grader," Gates said. Knowing a little bit about basketball, Gates saw the tall freshman sitting there and asked that important question. And, Gates said, Payne and the other students were watching television instead of learning. Payne was there due to an Individualized Education Program determination. We liked exploring things, climbing trees, throwing rocks at each other."Ī math teacher, Richard Gates, asked the same question after walking by Jefferson High's resource room during Payne's freshman year of high school. ![]() "Went through the creek and back neighborhoods, wherever it took us. Stayed in the back, had a big backyard with a creek in it. "I just played in the backyard with my brothers. "I watched cartoons, didn't watch TV that much," Payne said. Basketball didn't interest him, and he didn't watch it. He said this week he didn't know who Duke, his Sweet 16 opponent Friday, was as a kid. Payne began playing basketball in sixth grade, part of the reason for the questioning. His coaches at Jefferson Township Junior/Senior High School in Dayton, Ohio, learned to deal with it, even if Payne would sometimes openly question them in games. This, though, had always been Payne's approach. Others considered it a continued misunderstanding of Izzo by Payne and of Payne by Izzo. His frontcourt mate, Derrick Nix, learned to ignore the question. At times it was irritating and frustrating." "It was really bad," former Michigan State forward Draymond Green said. Why? If Payne was expected to do something - why? If he came out of the game - why? Payne's queries frustrated his coach, Tom Izzo, each beginning with the same three-letter word. Men's College Basketball, Michigan State Spartansĭuring Adreian Payne's freshman and sophomore seasons at Michigan State, the one-word question almost became a four-letter word. You have reached a degraded version of because you're using an unsupported version of Internet Explorer.įor a complete experience, please upgrade or use a supported browser ![]()
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