UL-Lafayette guard Elfrid Payton declares for 2014 NBA Draft

”This has been a long and engaging process for both me and my family. First, I would like thank God for blessing me with the opportunity to make a decision like this. I would also like to thank my family, coaches and the people close to me that have helped me gather information during this process.

“With that being said, I am excited to announce that I will forego my final year of eligibility at the University of Louisiana at Lafayette and will be entering the 2014 NBA Draft. I sincerely want to say ‘thank you’ to my coaches, my teammates, and most importantly the great Ragin’ Cajun fans that have supported me during the last three seasons. This has been a great three years where I’ve grown up, both on and off the court. I will be Cajun forever. Thank you for everything.”

Payton enjoyed an excellent junior season with the Ragin’ Cajuns, averaging 19.2 points, 6.0 rebounds, 5.9 assists and 2.3 steals while shooting 50.9 percent from the field. The 6’3 guard led the Sun Belt Conference in steals for the second consecutive season, and his stellar defense earned him the 2014 Lefty Driesell National Defensive Player of the Year award.