By Antonio Curro – SLAM Midwest “PUNKS” Editor
One of the most explosive and arguably the premiere interior prospects left on the board in the 2010 class heads to Lexington this weekend as Head Coach John Calipari and the Kentucky Wildcats play host to 6-10 Adreian Payne of Jefferson High School in Ohio. After landing super swing talent Stacey Poole of Florida yesterday, the Wildcats will look to strike big this weekend as Payne is a consensus top 25 prospects nationally and currently holds the #13 spot in the NY2LASports.com 2010 National Player Rankings released this past June.
Payne is a lethal mix of size, length, versatility and athleticism who rocks a big time rep at a regional and national level. The long interior talent from Ohio runs the floor well, can dominate the glass, blocks shots, and has the ability to attack the rim and finish in transition and on the blocks. Still raw on the skill side in terms of footwork, range, etc., Payne drips with high major impact potential and pound for pound has one of the biggest ceilings of any prospect in the 2010 class with hard work.
The Jefferson High standout was named Co-M.V.P. of the 2009 NY2LASports.com Swish & Dish Spring Warm-Up this past April and followed that up with a number of strong performances on the spring/summer grassroots travel circuit and is now one of the most coveted bigs left on the board in the 2010 class. Payne played with the All-Ohio grassroots travel program this past spring/summer.
Antonio Curro is the National Recruting Editor for NY2LASports.com, PhenomNationHoops.com, and 414Hoops.com. He is also the Midwest “PUNKS” Editor and National Consultant for SLAM Magazine as well as the Midwest Editor and National Consultant for the HoopScoop.
