Adreian Payne, a former Hawks first-round draft pick, died at age 31 after being shot early Monday in Florida, according to the Orange County Sheriff’s Office.
According to a statement from the sheriff’s office, a man in his 30s was shot during an incident at 1:37 a.m. The man, later identified as Payne, was taken to the hospital, where he was pronounced dead.
The statement also says the alleged shooter was identified as Lawrence Dority, 29, who has been arrested on a warrant for first-degree murder and transported to the Orange County Jail. No further details were released.
Payne, a 6-foot-10 forward/center, was the 15th overall selection by the Hawks in the 2014 NBA draft from Michigan State. He appeared in three games with the Hawks as a rookie. He made his NBA debut on Dec. 26, 2014, against the Bucks with two points and three rebounds in 13 minutes. Later that season, Payne was traded to the Timberwolves for a protected future first-round pick on Feb. 10, 2015.
The Hawks issued a statement on the death of Payne Monday. It read: “We are deeply saddened to hear of the tragic passing of Adreian Payne. Our thoughts are with his family and friends at this difficult time.”
Payne appeared in 107 career NBA games in four seasons with the Hawks, Timberwolves and Magic. He averaged 4.0 points and 2.9 rebounds per game. He also played games in the G League and overseas, including in Greece, Lithuania and Qatar, including this year.
Payne dealt with a foot injury early in his tenure with the Hawks and was stuck in a rotation behind Al Horford, Pero Antic, Mike Muscala and Elton Brand.
In four seasons at Michigan State from 2010-14, Payne appeared in 138 games and averaged 8.9 points and 5.3 rebounds. As a senior, he averaged 16.4 points and 7.3 rebounds.
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