Vanderbilt Basketball Signs Adam Payton 4/10/02

NASHVILLE, Tenn. — Vanderbilt men’s basketball coach Kevin Stallings announced today the signing of Adam Payton to a national letter of intent. Payton is a 6-3, 180-pound player from Burlington, N.J.

“Adam is an exceptional athlete and a well-rounded person,” Stallings said. “He is coming from The Lawrenceville School, which is a prep school with great academic standards. So, we think he is well prepared academically, emotionally and athletically to join our team. Our hope is that he can contribute immediately and help solidify our perimeter positions.”

As a senior, Payton averaged 22 points, 7 rebounds, 3.5 assists and 2.5 three pointers per game, while shooting 75 percent from the free-throw line. In just three years at The Lawrenceville School, Payton scored 1,390 points to become the school’s all-time leading scorer. He played his freshman year at Burlington Township.

Payton, who was a team captain as a senior, led his team to an 18-8 record and the Class A Prep state championship as a junior and led the team to the state semifinals as a senior. Three times he has been tabbed First-Team All-Prep by the Newark Star-Ledger and was named the Star-Ledger’s Prep Player of the Year this past season. The Trenton Times named Payton All-Prep Player of the Year, All-Prep First Team and All-Area First Team as a senior.

With the addition of Payton, Vanderbilt will welcome five freshmen for the 2002-2003 season. Joining Payton are Bryson Krueger (6-6, Guard, Tempe, Ariz., Mountain Pointe High School); Mario Moore (5-11, 155, Point Guard, Nashville, Tenn., Antioch High School); Ted Skuchas (6-11, 240, Center, Fort Washington, Penn., Germantown Academy); and Julian Terrell (6-9, 220, Center/Forward, Nashville, Tenn., Ezell-Harding).