Based on what we saw on the court, we respected former Michigan State big man Adreian Payne. He was a solid big man and a guy who worked very well in Tom Izzo’s system.
And his relationship with a terminally ill child named Lacey Holsworth was deeply touching. It reminded us of why we couldn’t really hate former UNC star Eric Montross, who had a similar situation. We found his grief deeply moving. Who could hate a guy who put himself on the line like that?
Very sadly, Payne was murdered Tuesday when he and his girlfriend tried to help a friend of hers who was having a fight with her (we assume) boyfriend, who went back inside, came out with a gun, and shot Payne.