Payton played a major role for Full Package 17U 3SSB at the PGH Great Lakes Region Finals. Her elusive ball-handling, quickness, ability to penetrate off the dribble, effectiveness as a facilitator, rebounding effort, and touch in the paint stood out. Payton maneuvered inside to score an offensive rebound putback and dropped in two floaters with great touch after beating her defender baseline off the dribble. She slashed to the nail, collapsed the defense, and kicked the ball out to open shooters on the perimeter. Payton boxed out strongly to secure rebounds and generated steals on the defensive end.

On the drive, King is a handful to deal with. She has the athleticism and the perfect touch of craftiness when she’s driving. Shooting wise, the kid has a quick release from the outside with no hesitation. Defensively, she can guard your best player with no issue. She has quick hands, quick reflexes, and confidence when she gambles, and those risks usually work in her favor.

King has the fundamentals and the athleticism to be a problem for opponents, but I think what separates her is that she can’t utilize on and off the ball, which most young players struggle with, and if her offense is lining up the way she wants it to.. she’s just as aggressive on the opposite end. She’ll be a key piece for Evanston this year.

Evanston is usually home to a top-level player, and King could be next up. Her aggression is what stands out the most, and you can just tell she is playing off pure feel for the game. If her skillset sharpens and she finds her sweet spot on the court, whether that is attacking, playmaking, or locking in on defense, King will undoubtedly be a name to know.

Payton King Payton King 5'9" | SG Evanston | 2027 State IL may be a Shooting Guard but she possesses good size and wherewithal on the court. King comes in with solid size at 5’10 and she would be described as a talented and hard-nosed basketball player. She seems to play with a chip on her shoulder whenever the opportunity presents itself and she always understands what’s happening around her on the basketball court. I saw a lot of recruits this weekend that will get a shot at competing on the collegiate floor and King is in that conversation. If she can keep things simple, she can shine in a lot of different systems and that’s something you love to see from an outside point-of-view.