NBA teams
Royce Young, ESPN Staff Writer 9y

Q&A: Patience a big challenge for Cameron Payne in summer league

NBA, Oklahoma City Thunder

ORLANDO, Fla. -- The Oklahoma City Thunder's first-round draft pick, Cameron Payne, has spent the team's first two games of summer league on the end of the bench, next to coach Maurice Cheeks, just watching and listening.

Payne broke a finger on his right hand during pre-draft workouts and isn't able to play in summer league but is still trying to make the most of the experience to absorb as much as he possibly can.

But what bothers Payne most isn't just that he's missing out on an opportunity to improve on the floor. It's that Kevin Durant, Dion Waiters and Anthony Morrow are there watching and he's not showing off what he can do.

"It tells us that they care about us [that they're there]," Payne said. "But from a personal aspect, I want to be out there playing to show them I'm pretty good."

Durant has been at all three days of summer league in Orlando, taking in almost every game. He's been acutely focused on the Thunder, who have only one roster player participating (Mitch McGary), but that hasn't stopped the former MVP from actively cheering on his team.

"For them to come watch the games, I know those guys love it," Payne said. "They pick up energy from them, just from them sitting there, because they all want to do their best and show what they can do for the program."

With Durant doing his rehab in Oklahoma City, Payne has been able to spending time getting to know the franchise player -- something he's obviously appreciated.

"He's been talking about basketball," Payne said. "He's a real good guy but very humble. He just comes in and lets us know, 'You need to do this on this screen.' We had a good conversation, just talking about guards and how they can get those steals and be better defenders. He's just been helping, telling me little things. He's a real good guy."

Payne enters the league as a unique lottery pick, one who will step onto a star-studded roster built to compete for a championship. With Russell Westbrook and D.J. Augustin already in place, Payne figures to be third on the depth chart when training camp opens and likely won't ever find himself a starter in Oklahoma City, unless something drastically changes.

"I think I can be complementary to [Westbrook]," Payne said. "I'm just looking to get better, and me being at that position with an All-Star is going to help me a lot. I'm coming in to a great situation, and I'm just going to be the best I can be."

After the Thunder's 73-65 victory over the Orlando Magic on Monday, Payne spoke with ESPN.com about his past two months and how he sees himself fitting with the Thunder.


Royce Young: There were rumors out before the draft that the Thunder promised you, but were they a team you had your fingers crossed on draft night that would take you?

Payne: In my mind, anywhere that gave me the opportunity, that's where I wanted to be. But with the promise situation -- no one can promise you. It's the draft. You don't know what's going to happen. So that's a tough rumor.

Young: Every draft pick, much less a lottery guy, wants to come in and make an impact as soon as possible. But with Westbrook and Augustin already in place, how do you find a way onto the court?

Payne: Just working hard every day. Hopefully, I can get my opportunity, but I'm just going to come in and do what I can do and let everything else take care of itself.

Young: You talked on draft night [saying that] you see some similarities in your game and Mike Conley's. You're not just stereotyping left-handed guys, are you?

Payne: That's just a person I watch a lot. We're both left-handed, but I mean, yeah, I guess you could say it's a stereotype. We're just both crafty players and we do a lot of the same things.

Young: You've been in Oklahoma City the last few weeks. What are your impressions?

Payne: It's a great city, and I'm glad to be a part of it. It keeps you focused, the fact it's a smaller city, it keeps me focused. That's what I need. When I was at Murray [State], a small town, kept me focused, and I got here. Just looking to do some of the same things, be focused and do the best I can do.

Young: That was something Sam Presti mentioned when you were getting introduced a few weeks ago: that after your breakout freshman season, you could've gone somewhere else but stuck with Murray State.

Payne: I wasn't planning on being in the NBA; I was planning on getting my degree. I wasn't going to leave the school I was at. I had a great relationship with those guys and a great relationship with my coach, and I wasn't going to leave them. So I just made the best of my opportunity that I had there and I ended up getting here.

Young: You can't play because of the broken finger, but you're spending every game next to Mo Cheeks on the bench. That's a spot that Westbrook has been before you. What are you learning from Coach Cheeks?

Payne: Man, I'm learning a lot. He's a great guy and he's teaching so much, and I really appreciate it. I'm just ready to use some of the knowledge he's giving me and do a little something.

Young: Think about the line of point guards that have come through Oklahoma City with Westbrook, Reggie Jackson -- even James Harden was kind of one when he was with the Thunder. They have a pretty good track record of developing college players.

Payne: Yeah, they do. I'm just looking to be the next guy to do that. But like I've been saying, I'm just going to keep working hard and do what I can control.

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