The conclusion of the 2016 NBA draft led to collective head-scratching throughout Corvallis.
Gary Payton II, the two-time Pac-12 defensive player of the year with off-the-chart athleticism, went unselected after 60 picks.
But the former first-team all-league guard at Oregon State, who led the Beavers to their first NCAA Tournament berth since his father and Hall of Fame guard wore orange and black in 1990, had a different thought.
Payton watched the draft back home with family in Las Vegas. He grew to hope his name would not be called late in the second round, looking instead for an opportunity to pick his landing spot instead of being tied to a specific team.