Cameron Payne Bio
Cameron Payne (born August 8, 1994) is an American professional basketball player who most recently played for the Philadelphia 76ers of the National Basketball Association (NBA). A dynamic point guard who played college basketball at Murray State University, Payne was selected 14th overall by the Oklahoma City Thunder in the 2015 NBA Draft. Throughout his career, Payne has been known for his scoring ability, playmaking skills, and capacity to impact games off the bench. His professional journey has taken him across multiple NBA franchises, international competition, and most recently to the Serbian League with Partizan Mozzart Bet.
Early Life and Background
Cameron Payne was born on August 8, 1994, in Memphis, Tennessee, to Tony and Leshawn Payne. His father, Tony Payne, served as a youth basketball coach and played a significant role in developing Cameron’s love for the game from an early age. Growing up in Memphis, a city renowned for its rich basketball culture, Payne was exposed to competitive basketball at a young age and began cultivating the skills that would later define his career.
Payne attended Lausanne Collegiate School in Memphis, Tennessee, where he underwent a remarkable growth spurt during his high school years. He grew from 5 feet 5 inches (1.65 m) as a freshman to 6 feet 0 inches (1.83 m) by his senior year. Despite his relatively small stature during his early high school career, Payne’s talent became increasingly evident as he developed into a versatile guard capable of scoring and distributing the basketball.
High School and College Path
At Lausanne Collegiate School, Payne led the team to a 2013 Division II state championship in Tennessee. Despite this achievement, he was not heavily scouted by collegiate programs and was considered a three-star recruit by Rivals.com, failing to crack the top 100 prospects nationally. He was recruited by coach William Small to play at Murray State University, choosing the Racers over a handful of other schools. Payne transformed from a relatively unknown college recruit into a potential NBA lottery pick during his two seasons at Murray State.
Payne attended Murray State University from 2013 to 2015, where he quickly established himself as one of the top players in the Ohio Valley Conference (OVC). As a freshman, he averaged 16.8 points, 5.4 assists, 3.6 rebounds, and 1.7 steals per game. He was forced into the starting point guard role early in his collegiate career due to an injury to teammate Zay Jackson. In his collegiate debut at Valparaiso, Payne registered 21 points, five rebounds, and four assists, signaling his potential to scouts. He earned first-team All-OVC honors and was named OVC Freshman of the Year.
As a sophomore during the 2014-2015 season, Payne elevated his game to an elite level, averaging 20.2 points, 6.0 assists, 3.7 rebounds, and 1.9 steals per game. His outstanding performance earned him Ohio Valley Conference Player of the Year honors, solidifying his status as a top NBA prospect. He also won the Lute Olson Award, given to the nation’s top Division I player who played at least 25 games and improved from the previous season. After his sophomore campaign, Payne declared for the 2015 NBA Draft, forgoing his final two years of collegiate eligibility.
Cameron Payne Career
Oklahoma City Thunder (2015–2017)
During pre-draft workouts, Payne suffered an injury when he broke the ring finger on his non-shooting hand. The injury did not require surgery but drew attention during the draft process. On June 25, 2015, Payne was selected by the Oklahoma City Thunder with the 14th overall pick in the 2015 NBA Draft. He signed his rookie-scale contract with the team on July 10, 2015. He made his NBA debut on November 1, 2015, in a 117-93 win over the Denver Nuggets, recording three assists in four minutes of play.
Payne spent much of his rookie season shuttling between the NBA and the developmental G League, being assigned to and recalled from the Oklahoma City Blue multiple times. On December 29, 2015, he recorded a 16-point effort in a 131-123 win over the Milwaukee Bucks. In the Thunder’s regular-season finale on April 12, 2016, Payne set career highs of 17 points and seven assists in a 102-98 loss to the San Antonio Spurs.
During the 2016-2017 season, Payne underwent surgery to repair a fractured fifth metatarsal in his right foot in July 2016. He suffered another acute fracture to the same foot during a scrimmage in September, causing him to miss the first two months of the season. After a rehabilitation period with the Oklahoma City Blue, Payne made his season debut on January 7, 2017, scoring eight points in 13 minutes against the Denver Nuggets. On February 9, 2017, he scored a season-high 15 points in a 118-109 win over the Cleveland Cavaliers.
Chicago Bulls (2017–2019)
On February 23, 2017, Payne was traded to the Chicago Bulls as part of a three-team deal that sent Taj Gibson and Doug McDermott to the Thunder. During the 2016-2017 season, Payne had multiple assignments with the Windy City Bulls, the Bulls’ G League affiliate.
Prior to the 2017-2018 season, Payne underwent surgery on his right foot on September 6, 2017, and was ruled out for three to four months. He made his season debut on February 22, 2018, in a 116-115 loss to the Philadelphia 76ers. On March 17, 2018, Payne recorded his first professional double-double, posting 13 points and a career-high 10 assists in a 114-109 loss to the Cleveland Cavaliers. Eight days later, he set a new career high with 17 points and six assists in a loss to the Milwaukee Bucks.
On October 24, 2018, Payne scored all 21 of his career-high points in the second half of a 112-110 win over the Charlotte Hornets, going 7 for 11 from three-point range. However, his time with the Bulls ended when he was waived on January 3, 2019.
Cleveland Cavaliers (2019)
After being waived by the Bulls, Payne signed a 10-day contract with the Cleveland Cavaliers on January 6, 2019. He signed a second 10-day contract on January 16, 2019. Following the expiration of his second contract, Payne parted ways with the Cavaliers to pursue other opportunities.
Shanxi Loongs (2019–2020)
In July 2019, Payne signed a two-year, $3.7 million contract with the Toronto Raptors, though he was released before the regular season began after playing briefly in the preseason. On November 12, 2019, Payne joined the Shanxi Loongs of the Chinese Basketball Association (CBA). He played in two games for the team, averaging 22.5 points, 6.0 rebounds, 7.5 assists, and 4.5 steals per contest before being replaced on January 2, 2020.
Texas Legends (2020)
On January 25, 2020, Payne joined the Texas Legends, the G League affiliate of the Dallas Mavericks. During the week of March 3, 2020, he was named NBA G League Player of the Week, averaging 23.3 points, 7.3 rebounds, 10.3 assists, 2.7 steals, and 1.3 blocks per game while leading the Legends to a perfect 3-0 record for the week.
Phoenix Suns (2020–2023)
Payne’s career trajectory changed dramatically when he signed with the Phoenix Suns on June 30, 2020, agreeing to a two-season deal. His impact was immediate during the 2020 NBA Bubble in Orlando. He made his debut on July 31, recording nine points, three rebounds, two assists, and two steals with a plus-minus of plus-21 in a 125-112 win over the Washington Wizards. He later matched his season-high of 15 points multiple times, including in a 128-102 blowout win over the Dallas Mavericks. The Suns went undefeated in all eight games during the bubble with Payne contributing effectively off the bench.
After his successful bubble performance, Payne continued his productive role in the 2020-2021 season. He tied his career-high of 10 assists in just 16 minutes of play on January 6, 2021, against the Toronto Raptors. On February 20, he scored a season-high 19 points in a 128-97 win over the Memphis Grizzlies. On March 4, 2021, he recorded his second career double-double with 17 points and 10 assists coming off the bench in a 120-98 win over the Golden State Warriors.
Payne’s playoff performance in the 2021 postseason was exceptional. In the Western Conference Finals against the Los Angeles Clippers, he recorded a then career-high 29 points, along with nine assists, two steals, and two blocks in the Suns’ 104-103 win. His contributions helped the Suns advance to the 2021 NBA Finals, where they faced the Milwaukee Bucks. Although the Suns lost the series in six games, Payne had established himself as a valuable bench contributor. Following the season, he re-signed with Phoenix on a three-year, $19 million contract.
During the 2021-2022 season, Payne continued his strong play. On March 4, 2022, he recorded a career-high 16 assists to go with 17 points in a 115-114 win over the New York Knicks. On November 16, 2022, he matched his career-high of 29 points in a 130-119 win over the defending champion Golden State Warriors. In the 2023 NBA Playoffs, Payne broke his career high in points scored, tallying 31 points in Game 6 against the Denver Nuggets, though the Suns were eliminated from the series.
Milwaukee Bucks (2023–2024)
On July 17, 2023, Payne was traded to the San Antonio Spurs as part of a three-team deal involving the Phoenix Suns. He was waived by the Spurs on September 11, 2023. Shortly after, on October 2, 2023, he signed a one-year deal with the Milwaukee Bucks, joining the team led by superstar Giannis Antetokounmpo.
Philadelphia 76ers (2024)
On February 8, 2024, Payne was traded to the Philadelphia 76ers alongside a 2027 second-round draft pick in exchange for Patrick Beverley. He made his 76ers debut the following night, contributing 20 points and six assists in a 127-121 loss to the Atlanta Hawks.
New York Knicks (2024–2025)
On July 15, 2024, Payne signed with the New York Knicks. During game one of the Knicks’ first-round playoff series against the Detroit Pistons, Payne delivered a memorable performance, scoring 11 of his 14 points in the fourth quarter to help seal the victory for New York. His clutch play provided a significant boost off the bench during the postseason.
Cameron Payne Career Highlights
Throughout his professional career, Payne has accumulated notable achievements across multiple leagues and competitions. His versatility as a scoring point guard has allowed him to make significant contributions at every level of competition.
NBA Achievements
Payne’s most significant NBA achievement came with the Phoenix Suns during the 2020-2021 season when he helped lead the team to the NBA Finals. His career-high 29-point performance in the Western Conference Finals against the Los Angeles Clippers was a defining moment of his career. Over his NBA career, he has set multiple career highs, including 31 points scored in a playoff game against the Denver Nuggets in 2023 and 16 assists in a regular-season game against the New York Knicks in 2022.
College Honors
Prior to his professional career, Payne earned numerous accolades at Murray State University. He was named Ohio Valley Conference Player of the Year in 2015 and won the Lute Olson Award in the same year. He earned first-team All-OVC honors in both 2014 and 2015 and was named OVC Freshman of the Year in 2014. His number 1 jersey was retired by the Murray State Racers in recognition of his outstanding collegiate career. Additionally, he was named Division II-A Tennessee Mr. Basketball in 2013 during his senior year of high school.
Cameron Payne Family
Family Background
Cameron Payne was born in Memphis, Tennessee, to Tony Payne and Leshawn Payne. His father, Tony Payne, previously served as a youth basketball coach and played an instrumental role in Cameron’s early development in the sport. Both Tony and Leshawn were supportive figures throughout Cameron’s journey, particularly during challenging periods when he was playing overseas in China and in the NBA G League. Their encouragement helped him maintain focus and ultimately return to the NBA.
2025 Season Outlook
Following his tenure with the New York Knicks, Payne continued his professional basketball career internationally. On December 23, 2025, Payne signed with Partizan Mozzart Bet of the Serbian League, ABA League, and the EuroLeague. This move represented a new chapter in his career, taking his talents to one of Europe’s most storied basketball clubs. Partizan’s participation in both domestic Serbian competition and the EuroLeague will provide Payne with opportunities to compete against top European talent while showcasing his abilities on a global stage. His experience in multiple NBA organizations and international play positioned him as a valuable addition to the roster, bringing veteran leadership and playmaking ability to the team.