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Former NBA player Adreian Payne, 31, died Monday in Orlando after being shot and his alleged killer was arrested.
Orange County Police said in a statement sent to Efe that an emergency call alerted them of a shooting and when officers arrived at the scene they found the former Atlanta Hawks, Minnesota Timberwolves, and Orlando Magic basketball player shot.
Payne had been shot and was transported to a hospital, where he was pronounced dead.
The suspect in Payne’s death was identified as Lawrence Dority, who was arrested and jailed in Orange County for committing first-degree murder.
Michigan State University, where the player studied and played, noted in a statement that Payne was a raw talent and worked hard to achieve his goal of becoming an NBA player, but will also be remembered by Spartan fans for his “good heart.”
Payne was a 2014 NBA first-round pick by the Atlanta Hawks after leaving Michigan State as one of nine players in team history with 1,232 points and 735 rebounds and led the team in blocked shots (141) at the time.
After being selected by Atlanta with the 15th pick, Payne played four seasons in the NBA and later played for teams in China, Greece, France, Turkey, and Lithuania.
In the latter, he signed in December 2021 with Juventus Utena, although he left the Lithuanian team last February.
