Draymond Green emotional over MSU teammate Adreian Payne’s death, vows
to start fund in his name
Warriors' Draymond Green mourns the death of former Michigan State
teammate Adreian Payne
>SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA – MAY 9: Golden State Warriors’ Draymond
Green (23) writes the words “RIP AP” and “Long Live 5” on his shoes
during Game 4 of a second-round NBA basketball playoff series at Chase
Center in San Francisco, Calif., on Monday, May 9, 2022. Green was
grieving for Adreian Payne, a former Michigan State basketball player,
who played for the Spartans from 2010-14 died at the age of 31. (Jose
Carlos Fajardo/Bay Area News Group)
>SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA – MAY 9: Golden State Warriors’ Draymond
Green (23) writes the words “RIP AP” and “Long Live 5” on his shoes
during Game 4 of a second-round NBA basketball playoff series at Chase
Center in San Francisco, Calif., on Monday, May 9, 2022. Green was
grieving for Adreian Payne, a former Michigan State basketball player,
who played for the Spartans from 2010-14 died at the age of 31. (Jose
Carlos Fajardo/Bay Area News Group)
By SHAYNA RUBIN | srubin@bayareanewsgroup.com | Bay Area News Group
PUBLISHED: May 9, 2022 at 11:10 p.m. | UPDATED: May 9, 2022 at 11:32 p.m.
https://www.eastbaytimes.com/2022/05/09/draymond-green-emotional-over-msu-teammate-adreian-paynes-death-vows-to-start-fund-in-his-name/

SAN FRANCISCO — Draymond Green is the heartbeat of this Warriors team.
It’s noticeable, then, when his heart is broken.

Before the Warriors’ Game 4 tipped off on Monday, Green heard
devastating news that his Michigan State teammate, Adreian Payne, was
shot and killed early Monday morning in Orlando, Fla.

“My emotions are kind of all over the place,” Green said after the
Warriors’ 101-98 win over the Memphis Grizzlies on Monday night. “I’m
going to go home and sit on my podcast and talk, because I can pause
that and cry if I need to cry.”

Green then said that he and his wife, Hazel, will donate $100,000 to a
fund in Payne’s name. He urged his fellow Michigan State alum in
basketball to do the same, including coach Tom Izzo, Magic Johnson,
Miles Bridges, Jaren Jackson Jr.

Green said he hopes to name something on the Michigan State campus after
him or start a scholarship.

“Whatever it is, I call on my Spartan family to do something in
Adreian’s name,” Green said.

Payne, who died at the age of 31, and Green played together during the
Spartans’ 2010, 2011 and 2012 seasons. Green wrote “RIP AP” on his right
shoe and “Long live 5,” a reference to Payne’s number at Michigan State,
during the game.

Acting head coach Mike Brown said the whole team felt Green’s hurt
during the game.

“He’s our emotional heart and soul,” Brown said. “And for him to get hit
with something that impactful for him and we felt it. We felt it as a
group.”

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Payne was a five-star recruit from Dayton, Ohio who was drafted 15th
overall in 2014 out of MSU by the Atlanta Hawks. He had a five-year
playing career with the Hawks, Orlando Magic and Minnesota Timberwolves.
He also played abroad in Greece, China, Turkey, France and Lithuania.

Before entering health and safety protocols, Steve Kerr offered his
condolences to Payne’s family and the Michigan State family.

“We heard the news this morning and Draymond is just crushed,” Kerr
said. “Adreian and Draymond were teammates and best of friends and just
devastating news today so our condolences to the family, we’re thinking
about them today and yeah, just feeling a lot of grief with everybody
involved and Draymond especially is feeling that way so wanted to share
that before we start.”

--
Shayna Rubin | Oakland Athletics reporter