Chris Payton to Illinois State
Illinois State landed a huge commitment on Thursday with the commitment of top 10 2019 prospect Chris Payton. The Bloomington power forward tweeted the news.
“Proud to say I’ve committed too Illinois State University.”
The rising junior told PrepHoopsIllinois.com why the Redbirds were his choice.
“It was where I wanted to be because it was home and it felt like the place for me. They kept in contact consistently and put in effort to make me feel a part of the team even though I’m still in high school.”
He spoke about the playing style and how his game will fit in at Illinois State.
“It’s very up and down and I think it’s the style that fits me best. It gets the most production out of my athletic ability.”
Payton is the first major commitment in the class of 2019 in the state of Illinois. Why did he decide to make an early call?
“I mean there really is no reason to wait if you know where you want to go.”
Payton stands at 6’6” with a strong body. He is a powerful athlete on the interior that plays with a motor and aggression. Very physical player around the hoop. Gets on the glass on both ends of the floor. This is an area that despite being slightly undersized he has proven he can rebound at a high enough rate to play the four at the next level. Payton gets tip slams at the rim. Skill set isn’t all the way there yet, but you can’t deny the raw athleticism and strength he brings to the table. With development he can be a beast in the Missouri Valley.
Payton is the #8 overall prospect in the 2019 class and #2 power forward. He ran with Brad Beal Elite on the 16U circuit this past summer.