Payton II, a 6-foot-3, 185-pound combo guard, didn’t mind responding, saying he has strived to be his own person and his game is much different than his father’s because he is still trying to develop a consistent shot. ”There’s not one place that I go where it’s not mentioned or asked about, but I’m used to it,” Payton II said. ”Growing up young, it was difficult. I didn’t know how to handle the pressure or what not, the critics and everybody saying you’re never going to be as good as your father. But getting older and wiser, being my own person and comfortable in the way I play basketball. As I got older, it got easier.”
More on Draft Workouts
Payton II could be selected by the Pelicans, who have the 39th and 40th picks in the second round. He was among 12 potential second-round prospects the Pelicans worked out on Monday in front of Coach Alvin Gentry and his assistants, General Manager Dell Demps and recently hired special adviser Danny Ferry. ''I see myself coming in here helping, backing up for whoever and you know just trying to get that energy and defensive surge to the team,'' Payton II said.
Unless something changes, the 76ers won’t work out out Ben Simmons during the NBA predraft process – at least not at Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine. They are expected to use the first overall on the former Louisiana State University power forward. However, Simmons doesn't plan on working out for NBA teams leading up to the June 23 NBA draft.
The Sixers are still trying to get Simmons in for a workout. The Australia native is represented by Klutch Sports Group, which is based in Cleveland. Simmons has been training there throughout the pre-draft process. The team hasn’t ruled out going to Ohio to meet with Simmons and watch him work out.
Keith Pompey: Bryan Colangelo said the #Sixers aren't concerned that Ben Simmons won't come in for a workout. https://t.co/snfu1xa42I
Chad Ford: Kris Dunn hasn't done a team workout with a little more than a week to go before the draft. He's refusing to do 1-on-none workouts with teams. Will only workout for teams if it's against Ben Simmons, Brandon Ingram or Jamal Murray source says. Dunn is currently projected in the 3 to 8 range.
Jeff Goodman: Boston Celtics worked out both Buddy Hield and also Marquese Chriss today in California, source told ESPN. Both Rob Pelinka clients.
Jeff Goodman: Jamal Murray hit 79 of 100 3’s in Boston last week. Buddy Hield, per source, hit 85 of 100 in front of Celtics brass today in California.
There isn’t an NBA team more familiar with Henry Ellenson than the Milwaukee Bucks. Ellenson played one season at Marquette University in Milwaukee and the Golden Eagles played their home games at the Bradley Center, the same facility in which the Bucks do. But the Bucks apparently want to know even more about Ellenson before the June 23 draft, and that’s why team officials have arranged to meet with the 6-foot-11 power forward-center on Tuesday.
David 'Dubi' Pick: Source: Dragan Bender has workouts scheduled in Minnesota on June 16, Phoenix June 18, and Boston June 21.
Adam Himmelsbach: Dragan Bender is scheduled to come to Boston for a workout on June 21, according to a league source.
Jessica Camerato: Brandon Ingram is currently working out for the Sixers. Before he speaks to the media, here's a profile story: bit.ly/1WJGx5O
Tom Moore: #Sixers Bryan Colangelo on Ingram: 'I call him a silky smooth scorer. He's everything we thought he would be.'
Tom Moore: B Colangelo: 'We're still working on final information' for meeting with Simmons. Not coming here for workout as of now. #Sixers
Tom Moore: B Colangelo: Most important thing 'is getting the medical information from physicals' with Ingram, Simmons.
Brett Dawson: Alvin Gentry and Darren Erman both spoke to Yabusele afterward. He said they told him he had a good workout and talked some about defense.
Michael Scotto: Oklahoma City Thunder will bring in James Farr (Xavier) as part of a group workout on Tuesday, per league sources. #NBADraft
Michael Scotto: The Minnesota Timberwolves, Milwaukee Bucks and Chicago Bulls will bring in guard Wes Washpun for workouts this week, per league sources.
Adam Zagoria: Former Manhattan/Cincy F Jermaine Lawrence was 'a little rusty' in Warriors workout Saturday, source says. Overseas/free agent type guy.
Michael Scotto: Sacramento Kings will bring in Antwan Scott (Colorado State) as part of a group workout on Wednesday, per league sources.
Indiana guard Yogi Ferrell continues to impress in workouts around the league. He shot the ball well in sessions last week with the Brooklyn Nets and New York Knicks, per several people familiar with the workouts. Ferrell, a 6-foot PG, worked out for the Knicks on Friday alongside Kansas' Perry Ellis and for Brooklyn earlier in the week. The Knicks don't have a draft pick but are expected to acquire one.
Jake Fischer: Grizzlies worked out Ben Bentil, Isaiah Cousins, Gary Payton II Malachi Richardson, Wayne Selden and Nathan Boothe today, not Bryce Johnson.
Darren Wolfson: Another #Twolves note: Cal's Jaylen Brown will workout here next week. Will stop here before heading to NYC. Layden saw Brown already.
Jody Genessy: Domantas Sabonis will work out for the Jazz on Monday.
Adam Zagoria: Brandon Ingram will work out tomorrow for the Sixers.
Alex Kennedy: Skal Labissière will work out with the Timberwolves and Celtics next week. He worked out for the Suns and Lakers this past week.
During his first three North Carolina seasons, Johnson showed glimpses of the player NBA teams like for his scoring and rebounding instincts, mid-range shooting touch and tall, agile frame. Johnson evolved from efficient sophomore backup to junior starter before breaking through in his senior season to wind up with eye-popping lines like a 39-point, 23-rebound output against Florida State. “It will definitely translate but, at the same time, I want to be able to expand my game just because, not only am I not going to be posting as much, but I have to do be able to step out and shoot 3-pointers sometimes,” Johnson said. “In college, I was a back-to-the-basket type of player because that was the system Coach Williams had. Nowadays, everybody just wants to see me shoot the ball. They just want to know if I can shoot. They know I’m very athletic. I can dunk the ball very well. I think about 85 percent of my shots were dunks this year.”
Jimmy Butler and Henry Ellenson went 1 on 1 after Ellenson's 2016 NBA Draft Workout. Henry came out of the gate strong, but Jimmy showed why he is considered one of the top guards in the NBA. More coverage of Henry Ellenson's draft preparation are coming soon from CLHTV including the HORSE game and Henry's Draft Workout.
The Bucks are still attempting to bring in Wade Baldwin for a workout. Baldwin, a talented 6-foot-4 combo guard from Vanderbilt, has been sidelined in recent weeks with an injury but is expected to return to the court soon. Baldwin is one of the X-factors in the draft, with some teams projecting him as a mid-first round selection and others tabbing him as an early second-round choice.
There are rumors Kentucky big man Skal Labissiere will not work out anymore for teams picking after 10, which is where the Bucks currently reside. Does Labissiere and his agents have a “promise’’ to be taken in the top 10? Or, as some NBA officials point out, are they concerned about some possible Labissiere back and knee issues?
Brad Turner: Lakers to workout Oklahoma guard Buddy Hield June 18, per source. Wonder if Hield, a great shooter, is a possible dark horse candidate at 2?
Shams Charania: Georgios Papagiannis, 18, 7-foot-1: Papagiannis is an early-entry candidate who played for Panathinaikos in Greece this season, bypassing collegiate basketball in the U.S.A. He’s had several workouts for NBA teams – including Phoenix, Boston and Chicago – and will have a live showcase workout on Sunday at Temple University. He has yet to reach a final decision whether to remain in the draft and will wait on the conclusion of workouts. Papagiannis attended Westtown School in Pennsylvania.
Brad Turner: Lakers to workout Oklahoma guard Buddy Hield June 18, per source. Wonder if Hield, a great shooter, is a possible dark horse candidate at 2?
Keith Pompey: Former #Syracuse G Malachi Richardson decided to work out for #Phoenix [Wed.], #Denver [Thurs]. He'll be in #Orlando on Sat.
Shams Charania: Vertical Sources: Duke's Brandon Ingram has scheduled private workout and meeting with the Philadelphia 76ers on Monday.
Alex Kennedy: Interesting pre-draft workout for the Los Angeles Lakers on Friday: Jaylen Brown and Skal Labissiere will be in the building.
Shams Charania: Vertical Sources: Duke's Brandon Ingram has scheduled private workout and meeting with the Philadelphia 76ers on Monday.
Steve Kyler: Heard Dragan Bender will be stateside this weekend and working out for NBA teams next week. Has a full dance card at the top of the draft
Baxter Holmes: Jaylen Brown and Skal Labissière will have closed workouts for the Lakers tomorrow but will meet with the media after, the team announces.
Brad Turner: D'Angelo Russell back from China working out after Brandon Ingram works out for Lakers https://t.co/bvWyLDjJyZ
Chris Forsberg: 7-foot-6 Mamadou Ndiaye checks out Shaq's size 22 shoes inside the Celtics' Hall of Fame room after his workout. https://t.co/V5Bs5ALyeW
Serena Winters: Brandon Ingram will work out with the Lakers tomorrow. Though the workout itself will be closed to media - we’ll have interviews after.
Marc J. Spears: Greek 7-2 center Georgios Papagiannis is working out on Sunday for NBA teams at McGonigle Hall at Temple University.
Ian Begley: The Wizards will work out St. Bonaventure guard Marcus Posley next week, per league sources.
Chris Dempsey: Marquette F Henry Ellenson will workout with the #Nuggets individually in the afternoon on Thursday
Jody Genessy: Utah's Brandon Taylor after the Jazz's pre-draft workout: "I'm humble to be here."
Ron Baker, a shooting guard from Wichita State, will work out for the Hawks in advance on the NBA Draft on Friday. Baker, 6-foot-4, worked out for the Jazz on Sunday and told reporters that he had a session scheduled with the Hawks. The senior averaged 13.8 points, 4.8 rebounds, 3.2 assists and 31.6 minutes in 34 games for the Shockers in a season that included a run in the NCAA men’s basketball tournament.
Also, the Hawks had Thon Maker in for a workout recently. The Sudanese-Australian is a 7-1 power forward/center who finished his high school career in Canada. He projects as a second-round pick.
Croatian prospect Nik Slavica will work out for the Boston Celtics and the Orlando Magic this week, a source told Sportando.
Chris Vivlamore: Wichita State's Ron Baker will have pre-draft workout with Hawks on Friday.
Jeff Goodman: Jamal Murray said he set record with 3's here in Boston -- hit 79 out of 100.
Darren Wolfson: I hear Villanova's Ryan Arcidiacono has been added to #Twolves June 14 workout. Interesting how many ball-handling guards they've looked at.
Adam Zagoria: Former Kansas F Cheick Diallo works out today for the Celtics.
Tip-in: The Grizzlies will conduct another pre-draft workout Wednesday with Kellen Dunham (Butler), DeAndre Bembry (St. Joseph's), Wes Washpun (Northern Iowa), Fred VanVleet (Witchita State), Damian Jones (Vanderbilt) and Marshall Plumlee (Duke). Memphis owns the 17th and 57 picks in the June 23 NBA draft.
Alex Kennedy: After shining in his workout for the Toronto Raptors, Elgin Cook's next workout stop is the Brooklyn Nets (who are trying to land a pick).
Tony Jones: Dejounte Murray's workout for the Jazz tomorrow will be individual, I'm told
Gery Woelfel: Ex-Michigan State star Denzel Valentine tells me it's "50-50'' on whether he'll work out for Bucks.
The Suns have a six-man pre-draft workout group lined up for today, according to the team (Twitter link). The prospects participating in that session are Josh Adams (Wyoming), Gerry Blakes (Arizona State), Petr Cornelie (France), Juan Hernangomez (Spain), Mamadou Ndiaye (UC Irvine), and Georgios Papagiannis (Greece).
Chris Dempsey: #Nuggets pre-draft workouts continue on Wednesday with a good group. Participants: Malcolm Brogdon, Juancho Hernangomez, Demetrius Jackson, Diamond Stone, Tyler Ulis & Stephen Zimmerman
Brown checks a few other boxes on NBA wish lists. He previously worked out in Boston (the Celtics have the No. 3 pick) and New Orleans (No. 6). “Not concerned with being a top-five pick in the draft,” Brown said. “I want to be a top-five player in the league.”
Neither scenario is unrealistic. As in most draft years, once you get past the top 20 or so players, the difference in talent narrows. After that, it’s about finding someone with one or two NBA-caliber skills and determining the best fits. Zimmerman isn’t sure exactly how teams view him. “I have no clue where they’re looking at me,” he said after his Pistons workout, “but I do like to look at that as a strength, to be able to play and guard the four and the five.”
