Elfrid Payton facts for kids
Payton with the Orlando Magic in 2014
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| Free agent | |||||||||||
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| Point guard | |||||||||||
| Personal information | |||||||||||
| Born | February 22, 1994 Gretna, Louisiana, U.S. |
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| High school | John Ehret (Jefferson Parish, Louisiana) |
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| Listed height | 6 ft 3 in (1.91 m) | ||||||||||
| Listed weight | 195 lb (88 kg) | ||||||||||
| Career information | |||||||||||
| College | Louisiana (2011–2014) | ||||||||||
| NBA Draft | 2014 / Round: 1 / Pick: 10th overall | ||||||||||
| Selected by the Philadelphia 76ers | |||||||||||
| Pro career | 2014–present | ||||||||||
| Career history | |||||||||||
| 2014–2018 | Orlando Magic | ||||||||||
| 2018 | Phoenix Suns | ||||||||||
| 2018–2019 | New Orleans Pelicans | ||||||||||
| 2019–2021 | New York Knicks | ||||||||||
| 2021–2022 | Phoenix Suns | ||||||||||
| 2023 | Fort Wayne Mad Ants | ||||||||||
| 2023 | Osos de Manatí | ||||||||||
| 2023–2024 | Indiana Mad Ants | ||||||||||
| 2024–2025 | Birmingham Squadron | ||||||||||
| 2024 | New Orleans Pelicans | ||||||||||
| 2025 | Charlotte Hornets | ||||||||||
| 2025 | New Orleans Pelicans | ||||||||||
| Career highlights and awards | |||||||||||
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Medals
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Elfrid Payton Jr. (born February 22, 1994) is an American professional basketball player. He last played for the New Orleans Pelicans in the National Basketball Association (NBA). Before joining the NBA, he played college basketball for the Louisiana Ragin' Cajuns. In 2014, he won the Lefty Driesell Award, which is given to the best defensive player in college basketball.
Payton was chosen as the 10th overall pick in the 2014 NBA draft by the Philadelphia 76ers. However, he was quickly traded to the Orlando Magic on the same night.
Contents
- Elfrid Payton's College Basketball Journey
- Elfrid Payton's Professional Basketball Career
- Playing for the Orlando Magic (2014–2018)
- Moving to the Phoenix Suns (2018)
- Playing for the New Orleans Pelicans (2018–2019)
- Time with the New York Knicks (2019–2021)
- Return to Phoenix (2021–2022)
- Playing in the G League and Puerto Rico (2023–2024)
- Recent Stints with Pelicans and Hornets (2024–2025)
- Playing for the National Team
- Personal Life
- See also
Elfrid Payton's College Basketball Journey
Payton was not a highly recruited player when he finished John Ehret High School in Jefferson Parish, Louisiana. He decided to play for Louisiana–Lafayette.
Becoming a Star Player
After a good first year in 2011–12, Payton really shined in his second year (2012–13). He averaged 15.9 points, 5.6 rebounds, 5.5 assists, and 2.4 steals per game. These great stats earned him a spot on the first team All-Sun Belt Conference.
Winning Gold with Team USA
After his amazing second year, Payton was invited to try out for the USA Under-19 World Championships team. He made the team and started in all nine games for Team USA. This team had many talented players, including Marcus Smart and Aaron Gordon. Team USA won the gold medal in the 2013 FIBA Under-19 World Championship, winning all nine of their games.
Top Defensive Player in College
In his third year (2013–14), Payton became known as one of the best defensive players in college basketball. His averages improved to 19.2 points, 5.9 assists, 6.0 rebounds, and 2.3 steals per game. He led his team, the Ragin' Cajuns, to the 2014 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament. He was again named first team All-Sun Belt and also won the conference's Defensive Player of the Year award. At the end of the season, he was named the National Defensive Player of the Year, winning the Lefty Driesell Award.
In April 2014, Payton decided to enter the NBA draft, giving up his last year of college eligibility.
Elfrid Payton's Professional Basketball Career
Playing for the Orlando Magic (2014–2018)
On June 26, 2014, Elfrid Payton was picked 10th overall in the 2014 NBA draft by the Philadelphia 76ers. However, he was traded to the Orlando Magic on draft night. He signed his first NBA contract with the Magic on July 2.
First NBA Season (2014–15)
Payton played his first NBA game on October 29, 2014. On January 16, 2015, he had his best game of the season with 22 points and 12 assists. He was named the Eastern Conference Rookie of the Month for January.
On March 18, he achieved his first career triple-double. This means he had double-digit numbers in three different stats: 15 points, 12 assists, and 10 rebounds. Two days later, he got another triple-double, becoming the first Magic player to do this in back-to-back games. He was also the first NBA rookie to achieve this since 1997.
Second NBA Season (2015–16)
On November 18, 2015, Payton scored a career-high 24 points. He played in 116 games in a row before an ankle injury made him miss some games in January 2016. On March 23, 2016, he recorded his third career triple-double with 20 points, 10 rebounds, and 10 assists.
Third NBA Season (2016–17)
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Payton continued to improve his scoring. On December 6, 2016, he scored 25 points, a new career high. He then topped that on December 13, 2016, with 26 points and 14 assists. On January 14, 2017, he had another career-high with 28 points.
He had a great run of triple-doubles in March 2017. He recorded his first triple-double of the season on March 6. Two days later, he had his second straight triple-double with 22 points, 14 rebounds, and 14 assists. On March 13, he got his third triple-double of the season. On March 24, he recorded his fourth triple-double in just 10 games. He finished the season with five triple-doubles.
Fourth NBA Season (2017–18)
Payton missed eight games early in the 2017–18 season due to a hamstring injury. When he returned, he helped his team win. On December 23, 2017, he scored a career-high 30 points.
Moving to the Phoenix Suns (2018)
On February 8, 2018, Payton was traded to the Phoenix Suns. He played his first game for the Suns two days later, scoring 19 points and getting 9 assists. In his second game, he scored 29 points. On February 14, he recorded a triple-double with 13 points, 11 rebounds, and 12 assists. He achieved two triple-doubles in just nine games with the Suns, which was the fastest any Suns player had done so.
Playing for the New Orleans Pelicans (2018–2019)
On July 9, 2018, Payton signed with his hometown team, the New Orleans Pelicans. In his first game for the Pelicans on October 17, 2018, he recorded a triple-double with 10 points, 10 rebounds, and 10 assists. This was his 11th career triple-double.
He later missed many games due to injuries. When he returned in March 2019, he went on an amazing streak. On March 10, he had a triple-double. On March 12, he had his second triple-double in a row. On March 15, he recorded his third straight triple-double with a career-high 16 assists. The next day, he got his fourth straight triple-double, joining a very small group of NBA legends like Magic Johnson and Russell Westbrook. Payton recorded his fifth consecutive triple-double two days later. He also tied the team record for most triple-doubles in a single season with six.
Time with the New York Knicks (2019–2021)
On July 9, 2019, Payton signed a two-year deal with the New York Knicks. He dealt with injuries early in his time there. When he returned, he helped the Knicks with his playmaking skills. On February 3, 2020, Payton recorded his 17th career triple-double with 17 points, 11 rebounds, and 15 assists. On November 19, 2020, the Knicks let Payton go, but he was re-signed by them on November 29.
Return to Phoenix (2021–2022)
On August 10, 2021, Payton signed with the Phoenix Suns again.
Playing in the G League and Puerto Rico (2023–2024)
In 2023, Payton signed with the Indiana Mad Ants, a team in the NBA G League. He also played for Osos de Manatí in the Puerto Rican league.
During the 2023–24 season, Payton led the NBA G League in assists per game. He was also named to the All–NBA G League Third Team. He helped the Mad Ants reach the playoffs in 2024.
Recent Stints with Pelicans and Hornets (2024–2025)
In October 2024, Payton signed with the New Orleans Pelicans but was later waived. He then joined the Birmingham Squadron in the G League. In November 2024, he re-signed with the Pelicans and started a game, recording 11 points, 5 rebounds, and 8 assists. On November 25, 2024, Payton had a career-high 21 assists in a game. He was waived by the Pelicans again in December 2024 and rejoined Birmingham.
In February 2025, Payton signed a 10-day contract with the Charlotte Hornets. He played 6 games for them. In March 2025, he signed another 10-day contract with the New Orleans Pelicans, marking his third time playing for them in the season. He later signed a two-year contract with the Pelicans in April 2025.
Playing for the National Team
In the summer of 2013, Elfrid Payton was chosen to play for the United States team in the 2013 FIBA Under-19 World Championship. He averaged 6.1 points and 3.3 rebounds per game in nine games, helping his team win the gold medal.
Personal Life
Elfrid Payton's father, also named Elfrid Payton, was a professional football player in the Canadian Football League.
For his first four seasons in the NBA, Payton was known for his unique, long hairstyle. Many fans of the Orlando Magic loved his hair. He cut his hair in May 2018.
See also
In Spanish: Elfrid Payton para niños
