Draymond Green commits $100,000 to fund honoring Michigan State teammate Adreian Payne
As post game emotions ran high after Game 4 of the Western Conference semifinals, Golden State Warriors forward and former Michigan State star Draymond Green told reporters that he and his wife plan to donate $100,000 to a foundation in honor of the former Spartan basketball player who died Monday.
Adreian Payne was shot and killed early Monday morning in Orlando, Florida, according to the Orange County Sheriff’s Office.
Payne, a 31-year-old native of Dayton, Ohio, played for the Spartans from 2010-14 and earned second-team All-Big Ten honors his junior and senior seasons.
"I am going to go home and sit on my podcast and talk because I can pause that and cry if I need to cry. I don't like to cry in front of people," Green said. "What I will say is, Hazel and I are going to donate $100,000 to a fund in Adreian's name. I call on my Spartan family, coach Izzo, Magic (Johnson), Jaren Jackson, Miles Bridges, all of my Spartan family, let's do something in honor of Adreian. Whether that's naming something on the campus after him, if that is some scholarships for some kids to play, whatever that is, I call on my Spartan family to ban together and do something in Adreian's name."
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Green apologized for not wanting to speak on the matter further of give notes on the game, promising a "better" press conference after his next game.
Contact Analis Bailey at aabailey@usatoday.com or on Twitter @analisbailey.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Draymond Green honors Michigan State teammate Adreian Payne
