Scouting Report

Keena Payton

Class: 2004
Height: 6'-2"
Weight: 165
Position: Combo Guard
School : Skyline ( Oakland )

Strengths: Player evaluations always begin with a basic set of guidelines depending on position. Guards are subjected to analysis ranging from their ability to handle the ball, shoot competently, defend smaller, quick players, and generally make those around them better if they are primarily lead guards. Compare those traits to KP and one would say, “Check.” Then, the quality of the player derives from extra skills like deep range, better than normal consistency from the perimeter, above average passing skills, and handles, and the ability to do something out of the ordinary. Once again we say, “Check.” So why no love for KP? Because Keena is Keena and not Gary and the lack of Gary attitude somehow makes people look and then turn away. Not us.

First and foremost, Keena can flat out shoot the ball and hit in bunches. Whereas Gary developed into a perimeter threat and deep shooter, Keena just is. Whether it’s the quick catch and shoot from 20+ feet or the pull and drain off a bounce to the basket, the form is perfect, the release is nice, and when he’s in rhythm, the net hardly ripples. Around the basket, Keena has that same upright driving style but he also has the nice ability to finish with both hands from just about any angle. If that sounds nice, then the handles are equally as nice because they are efficient and do one thing and one thing only, get into a play. We’ve noted guard after guard after guard who could make their own MixTape and yet they never move from the same spot they started. The OAL gets people to flee the gym when someone gets shook but there ain’t no drama about a one-bounce blast past the defender for an easy lay-up. Since they don’t notice, we have.

While writing this, we were also having a miserable case of deja-vu back to this time last year when we were trying to get folks to believe that another stereotyped shooter actually had playmaking qualities. Hmmmmmm. And one year later, Johnny Bryant was 1st Team All Bay and 1st team All NorCal. We’re here to let it be known that Keena has PG skills and can man a team with leadership skills. Though not a flashy passer nor a fleet style PG, Keena gets the job done and delivers a very nice ball. In the lane, he anticipates movement of both his teammates and the defense very well. Like his brother, he throws a great kickout pass after a drive. Not as pretty as Ayinde, but who is? Personally, we love the fact he can make a straightforward, catchable, vanilla, but no one else seems to know how, post entry pass. Too bad for everyone else because the mid to high D1s, for some stupid reason, want guards that can make that pass. It’s a trip, huh?

Defensively, he’s not The Glove but that’s just his game. Keena plays solid on ball defense but has great hands so maybe his lack of intensity sometimes is actually baiting the player into feeling better before Keena takes his cookies. Off the ball, Keena does a very nice job of dropping into helpside position and recognizes the post double as good as the best guards we’ve seen.

Weaknesses: The biggest weakness is not establishing himself in every game he plays. Yes, we believe he needs more work on his handles to prove that he can be an everyday PG, and we believe that he needs to be more aggressive with the ball to the basket, not to mention move more aggressively about the court without the ball, but the biggest thing is presence. During any given game, Keena can hit three or four shots in a row but then, for some reason, it becomes easy to forget he’s there because he’s content to allow his teammates to assert themselves until another opportunity presents itself for him to take a shot, make a drive, or create. In this regard, he’d be 100% comparable to Ayinde if Ayinde were a shooting guard.

Maybe it’s the constant play at the SG slot instead of the PG position where he’d handle the ball more often and be seen in more plays, but it’s just like he’s not there when the chances present themselves and that’s it. We believe that Keena can play the lead guard spot and emerge like a Johnny Bryant over the course of the summer, but the success of Bryant can’t be lost in the hard work required. Johnny lifted everyday, ran everyday, and worked on his handles everyday. If Keena takes the approach to address his game from the standpoint that he must transform himself physically and mentally into a strong lead guard then he, conceivably, could emerge as one of the Top 5 PG prospects in NorCal.

Overall Assessment: A defined SG who is too small to play that spot at the mid-D1 level, Keena must advance his skills at the head of the offense to take over as a point guard. Well within his current capabilities, his mental approach to playing the point must become paramount. Given his innate ability to shoot the ball and his scoring prowess, all combined with a generally unselfish approach to the game, Keena has all the markings of maturing into a very highly regarded PG.

Projected college potential: Given a smaller and less skilled John Sharper walked on and received significant time as a frosh at San Diego State, we believe Keena could play right away at the low D1 level. Mid D1 is well within reach if the transformation to point guard takes place. Johnny Bryant, no less than three inches shorter, was receiving very solid mid-major interest toward the end of this past season so the same growth and success pattern could exist for Keena.

NorCal Preps (June 2003)