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NBA DRAFTJune 25, 2015Cameron PayneBROOKLYN, NEW YORK CAMERON PAYNE: Oh, man, crazy day here on June 25th. Oh, man, I'm so happy, I'm proud. I want to thank God for everything that done happened to me and everything that happened to my life. I'm glad my family and my friends, they all came and supported me and they supported me since I was born, man. I really appreciate the Thunder. They've given me the opportunity to play with those guys this season, and I'm just shocked, man. I'm excited, man. I'm ready to get on the court, man. Q. What has Oklahoma City said to you? CAMERON PAYNE: Man, when they called me name, I was looking at the guy from Yahoo's site, man, and I seen "Cameron Payne" come up, and I was thanking God. But I was shocked that they picked me. I was thinking I was going to go earlier, but man, God put me in the perfect fit. Everything happened for a reason. I'm glad Oklahoma City gave me that chance, and I'm going to make the best out of my opportunity. That's what happened at Murray, and that's what I'm going to do at Oklahoma City. Q. Are you going to put your name on the map in Oklahoma City? CAMERON PAYNE: I'm definitely going to put my name on the map, "Cam‑Payne" (laughing). Q. You just mentioned everything happens for a reason. Tonight is a huge moment, so really congratulations there, but I want to talk about some of the tougher moments from this year. You guys had, Murray State, you're known for big long win streaks the last couple years, running numbers up into the 30s. Tell me about some of those tough losses at the end of the year. CAMERON PAYNE: I mean, it's all good. Well, the first one we played at Belmont, I felt that that was a test when we lost that game. I felt it was a test. We went into the locker room, my coach said, "We're not going to define ourselves over nine seconds." After he said that, it was time to get to work. We had to go into the NIT praying that we were getting to the NCAA Tournament. But we ended up going to the NIT. That's a big tournament, too. Our goal was to get to Madison Square Garden. Then we played Old Dominion at Old Dominion. They gave us a tough shot, Trey Freeman, a heck of a player; he shot a great shot and made it. My team and I, man, we did enough. We did enough to get me to this point, and I guess, man, it wasn't meant to be tore me to go to Madison Square Garden. I guess it was just meant for me to play with Oklahoma City and play at Madison Square Garden. Q. Kind of two things right here: First off, out of the guys that got picked in the lottery you might be the best situation of anyone. What does it mean to you to be in that situation? And then Murray State, you guys have been pretty good the last couple years, but what does it mean to be coming from a mid‑major? CAMERON PAYNE: Well, first thing the last time Russell Westbrook and Kevin Durant played together, they was in the championship. So I'm blessed to be a part of that team, and I'm going to be ready. I'm looking forward for us to get back there, and I'm looking forward to being a part of that. I mean, like you mentioned, all those teams, it's kind of funny when I looked at the green room list, every single one of those teams, and you had Murray State, the lone mid‑major. I was blessed I was put in that position, and it's crazy, to have Murray State right there between Kentucky and all those‑‑ most every team, they were in the Final Four, Elite 8. And we didn't even get to the Final Four of the NIT. I mean, it's a blessing in disguise to have me here. I'm big time guy on trust the process. So I mean, I guess that's why God put me here, for me to share my story and for me to share my experience and let everyone latch onto it and hear it. Q. Growing up I know you played the point guard position. Did you have a favorite point guard that you liked to watch growing up? CAMERON PAYNE: Growing up I watched a lot of guys. The main one was Tony Parker. He's a winner. I grew up being a winner. When I lost, tough time. Very tough time. But I watched Tony Parker, man. He controlled his team the best out of any point guard in the league. You can tell by the amount of championships that he keeps getting. But he controls his team, and him and Tim Duncan, man, they're the leaders of that team, and I put myself in that leadership role. I feel I do the same thing that that guy does, and I just want to get better at those things. Q. You did mention that you thought you would go earlier and you went 14. What were you feeling after every team was picking and you just landed with OKC? CAMERON PAYNE: Man, after the first 10, every team that was left were teams that I was high on their list, so I mean, I was nervous. I got real nervous when 11 came, then 12 came, then 13, because all those team had me high. But as a point guard, you can't go up and down. You've got to stay level. So I mean, I was very confident, and I just stayed the course, and I just‑‑ like I've been saying, I just trusted the process, and I mean, now I'm going to Oklahoma City, and that's where I'm supposed to be. Q. You talked a lot this week about how you have a mentality where you feel like you can play on the court with anybody. How does that translate to a practice court that you will share with Kevin Durant and Russell Westbrook? CAMERON PAYNE: I'm looking forward to it. They're going to make me a better player 100 percent. I'm going in and I'm trying to get better. That's the main thing. Trying to get better every single day, and me going to Oklahoma City going up against those guys, that's what's going to happen for me. Like I've been saying, God did it for a reason. That just may be the reason, for me to bloom and for me to learn and for me to groom into a better player. Q. You talked about being a point guard, you talked yesterday about how you love putting scorers in the right position. You're going to a team with guys that like to dominate the ball like Russell and Kevin. What else can you bring to the Thunder? CAMERON PAYNE: Man, I can be a combo guard. I can be a shooting guard. On my team at Murray I rarely had to score the ball. I was down there on the ball. But anything the coach needs me to do, Cameron Payne is going to do it. There's no way I'm going to be a selfish guy. I'm a point guard, I'm the most unselfish player on the court. If I'm needed to play the 2, if I'm needed to play the 5, I'm going to do it. Q. What can you take from Russell Westbrook's game that you think will make you a better player? CAMERON PAYNE: Stop shooting floaters and start shooting mid‑range jump shots. That's going to be a main thing. Man, he stops and pops great. He's got one of the best mid‑range games in the league right now. I need to add that to my game instead of shooting the floater all the time. So that's going to be one of the major aspects that I can add to my game. Q. You talked about Russell Westbrook. Who's a better dresser, you or him? CAMERON PAYNE: Ooh, you're already trying to start beef (laughing). I mean, he's got to be‑‑ on different levels. On different levels. I'm just going to go half and half. We're just going to go half and half because sometimes I can be a bit spiffy, but sometimes he can like, man, he fresh. I say about 50/50, but I've got to give it to him, you know. Q. You've played at a small college and now you're going to Oklahoma City. Was there ever a part of you that said, I'd like to play in the Big Ten or play in a big market just for your own experience? CAMERON PAYNE: In the NBA? Q. Or college. CAMERON PAYNE: I mean, growing up, I mean, I wanted to go to Duke University, but I mean, that's not the path that was chosen for me. But I mean, I felt if I were to play at a bigger college, I would have been noticed earlier. But I guessseeing them in the green room right now, so it was meant for me to go to a mid‑major and get known late. But I mean, I take it Murray State is just like Oklahoma City, a small town, and it's all about work. It's all about getting in the gym and doing what's best for the team and putting your heart out for the organization every day. Q. Your name has been associated with the Thunder for a while now. Have you been in touch with either coach Billy Donovan, Durant, Westbrook, anyone? CAMERON PAYNE: I definitely talked to Billy, and I definitely talked to Sam, Sam Presti. Sam is my guy. We talked a lot when I went down there and met with them I think two weeks ago maybe. I had a blast down there in OKC. It's a big‑time step for Murray, I'll tell you that. It's a big‑time step for Murray. It's going to be a good town for me. FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports |
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