Elfrid Payton’s pregame introduction is totally different than his teammates’, as you will have seen for those who have been on the Smoothie King Middle Friday evening when the New Orleans Pelicans hosted the Golden State Warriors .
Public deal with announcer Wild Wayne often introduces starters by first saying the place they performed in faculty.
However for Payton, it is totally different.
“FROM GRETNA, LOUISIANA!!!!!!!» Wild Wayne speaks, precisely as Payton needs him to.
“I’m from right here,” Payton mentioned. “Why wouldn’t I need to say Gretna?” It is my residence.
And for Payton, there is not any place like residence. He is relishing this newest alternative to regulate to a hometown workforce that discovered itself in level guard hell with early-season accidents to Dejounte Murray, CJ McCollum and Jose Alvarado.
So that they introduced in Payton, who was with the Pels in coaching camp and had performed this season for the G-League Birmingham Squadron.
Payton, in his ninth NBA season, averaged 9.7 factors, 11 assists and 5 rebounds in his three begins, together with a shocking 21-assist efficiency in Monday’s loss to the Indiana Pacers. Not dangerous for a participant who hadn’t performed an NBA recreation in 920 days earlier than final week.
Earlier than signing with the Pels, Payton’s final look in a recreation was in Might 2022, in Sport 7 of the second spherical of the Western Convention playoffs towards the Dallas Mavericks, whereas he was with the Phoenix Suns . The one different basketball he has performed since then was within the G-League and a month in Puerto Rico. So you’ll suppose he ought to shake off the rust upon his return to the NBA. No. Suppose once more.
“I simply tried to remain prepared, keep assured,” Payton mentioned. “And simply place confidence in God. I used to be simply taking part in within the G-League and attempting to maintain my iron sharp, so if the chance offered itself, I might be able to take it.
The John Ehret Excessive College and College of Louisiana alum was greater than prepared, dropping one dime after one other in Monday’s recreation towards the Pacers. He additionally scored 14 factors and grabbed 7 rebounds. The 21 assists are a profession excessive, surpassing the 16 assists he dished out in consecutive video games throughout his first stint with the Pelicans in the course of the 2018-19 season. Because the assists piled up, he could not assist however discover.
“I am a degree guard, so I am at all times checking the time and the scores and these arenas have massive scoreboards now with all of the stats,” Payton mentioned. “So I can see him a bit of.” However I am simply attempting to play the sport. The fellows did an ideal job stopping photographs.
Some have been simple photographs to make.
5 of his assists, together with Daniel Theis’ alley-oop to get issues began, led to dunks. Seven others, nevertheless, led to three factors. Payton scored or assisted on 73 of the Pelicans’ 110 factors within the loss.
What made the evening much more particular for Payton was that it got here towards the Pacers. He performed with their G-League affiliate, the Indiana Mad Ants, final season.
“It’s loopy that he hasn’t performed within the NBA in two seasons,” Pelicans coach Willie Inexperienced mentioned. “It’s a credit score to him and the resilience it takes to keep it up. Bear in mind? Elfrid was a lottery decide for the NBA. Then having two seasons the place you do not essentially play within the league, however proceed to remain there, imagine in your self, trust and know that you would be able to step on the sphere at any time and affect a workforce like he did it. is outstanding.
Payton admits there have been occasions when he wasn’t certain the chance would current itself once more.
“I feel it’s regular to have doubts,” Payton mentioned. “However I at all times believed I had an opportunity. You at all times need to be prepared. I strive to not fear about whether or not a possibility would current itself or not. I simply targeted on the day. Assault each day and be one of the best particular person and participant you might be.
Murray, whose fractured hand within the season opener was one of many dominoes that fell to offer Payton that chance, was considered one of Payton’s greatest cheerleaders Monday.
“It speaks for itself,” Murray mentioned. “He works onerous. I stored telling him that I do know it has been 900 days. You would see in his face how emotional he wished to be. However he is a robust cat. I salute him. I respect him. I respect his recreation. I respect his professionalism. It is a canine. It was spectacular. I informed him about 10 totally different occasions, it was spectacular.
It is a small pattern measurement that Payton hopes to develop. This might change into tough since McCollum returned on Monday and Murray is anticipated to return Wednesday evening when the Pelicans host the Toronto Raptors.
“I strive to not look too far forward,” Payton mentioned. “I take it day-to-day and assault each day. That is what I’ve been doing for the previous couple of years. I am simply going to let the chips fall the place they might.
If it have been as much as him, these chips would fall proper right here in New Orleans, simply throughout the river from his hometown of Gretna. If not, his 21 help level evening will undoubtedly appeal to the eye of one of many different 29 groups within the NBA.
“Clearly I need to be right here,” Payton mentioned. “I might like to be right here. They gave me a possibility. That is my residence for me. I feel I’ve one thing that may assist this workforce. Nevertheless it’s definitely additionally an audition for different groups. I attempt to get pleasure from it as a lot as I can.
After three video games, that is precisely what he did.
