Spurs WATCH: Cam Payne Dominates Pro-Am Game
The AEBL (Atlanta Entertainment Basketball League) is a premiere pro-am league that was founded in 2010. The league plays every summer in a ten-week timeframe.
This summer, new San Antonio Spurs guard Cameron Payne played in the league. Yesterday, he erupted for 54 points in his matchup. He did so with an array of jump shots and fast break dunks.
Take a look:
Payne clearly looked like an NBA player playing in a pro-am game during the matchup, as he was clearly ahead of the opposition skill-wise.
Having just been involved in a trade, Payne is the newest member of the Spurs. The Phoenix Suns offloaded his contract after sending him to San Antonio.
The former first-round pick has carved out a solid career for himself, as his early days made it seem like his trajectory was heading the wrong way. The Suns helped him catapult himself into one of the more productive backup point guards.
Payne is entering his ninth season in the NBA and will be 29 years old before the season begins. He's a veteran point guard with experience playing in the NBA Finals.
Again, the best stretch of Payne's career has come with the Suns. He's averaged 9.8 points per game in 174 games, primarily as a backup.
For the Spurs, Payne will provide shot creation, for both himself and others. He will be able to penetrate the defense, allowing his scoring gravity to open up the floor. He can also shoot the ball off the dribble well. This was all shown in his AEBL dominance, too.
The 6-1 guard averaged 4.5 assists per game last season, the second most in his career. The season before, he averaged 4.9 assists per game. The playmaking ability is there and Payne, if he remains a member of the Spurs, will be able to find ways to contribute off the bench.
With Victor Wembanyama preparing for his NBA debut, having more guards capable of playing off a ball-dominate forward will be beneficial. The two will be able to help each other throughout the season.
You can follow Kade Kimble on Twitter @KadeKimble.
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