Mike Weinstein has coached a lot of great basketball players in 15 years on the Chicago AAU circuit, but describes recent Alabama commit Cully Payne as a rare talent.
“He is a true, straight-out (point guard)," Weinstein said in an interview with Crimson Confidential on Wednesday. "I think he’s one of the best point guards in the country. He doesn’t turn it over, he gets in and out of the lane, makes good use of directional cuts. He’s very strong, he’s built like a football safety.”
Payne plays on an ultra-successful AAU team, which features the likes of Illinois commit Jereme Richmond and Notre Dame-bound Jack Cooley. The team, Illinois Rising Stars, also once boasted Davidson's Jason Richards, who led the nation in assists last season.
“Cully’s a lot like Jason; he’s actually better than Jason was at this point," Weinstein said. "Cully and Jason are a lot alike, same physical build, don’t make mistakes.”
The 6-foot-1 Payne averaged 17 points per game as a junior at Schaumburg High. He had long been committed to Chicago hoops power DePaul, but had a change of heart earlier this year, Weinstein said.
“It had nothing to do with coach (Jerry) Wainwright at DePaul," Weinstein said. "As Cully got older, he realized he wanted to have a different college experience. He wanted to go a real college town, with a college campus and a football program; those were things he was really yearning for. DePaul’s a wonderful school, but it’s a city school and he just didn’t want to be at a city school.”
Payne rates a 67 on the 100-point prospect scale by ESPN Scouts Inc. He joins fellow point guard Reger Dowell in Alabama's 2009 recruiting class, and Weinstein believes the Crimson Tide got a steal.
“The fans and the coaches and the pure basketball people got a fantastic kid that you will enjoy watching," Weinstein said. "He is the ultimate team player, is all about winning. All the older guys and all the younger guys in the program love him. He’s all about basketball and getting better and working hard.
"There’s no flashiness or ups and downs, he is a straightforward, black-and-white basketball guy. He will be a guy that will be a coach on the floor, control the tempo, set guys up, make guys better. He sees the floor extremely well. He is a tough kid.”
Alabama has also offered Payne's AAU teammate, 6-foot-6 shooting guard Nik Garcia of Evanston High School. Weinstein said Garcia could emerge as a top prospect as well.
“Nik Garcia is a kid that can shoot the (heck) out of it," Weinstein said. "He’s ridiculous. You can put a tree in front of him and he’d nail shots. He’s 6-6, he’s got huge talent, got a chance to be a really good player.”
