Malachi Payne – PG/SG

SCOUTING REPORT

Malachi Payne is as explosive a playmaker and physically gifted a lead guard as there is in high school basketball. He has good size for his position, long arms, and a chiseled frame. He’s a big time playmaker whose driving style translates to the highest levels of the game. He’s not just super quick off the bounce, but also powerful at his size, and so he can change direction on a dime, burst through open seems in the defense and absorb contact on his way to the rim. Once he establishes his path to the basket, he gets downhill as well as anyone in the country and can be efficient going through the lane with long strides while also being able to make quick and instinctive adjustments in his course as secondary defenders step-up. He can rise up and finish with touch and dexterity from various angles but can also drive to the basket. His tools and potential on the defensive end are equally intriguing. He’s just as quick and powerful sliding his feet laterally when he wants to be, able to guard the length, and capable of locking up almost on demand.

Bottom Line:
Malachi has the power and explosiveness to be built in the same prototype as the likes of Derrick Rose, Steve Francis, and Eric Bledsoe. With continued progression of his game, Malachi will be a star for any college team.