Former NBA player Adreian Payne passes away at the age of 31

On Monday, tragic news broke that former NBA player and Michigan State University star Adreian Payne passed away.

Payne, who played in the NBA in addition to some other leagues around the world, was just 31 years old at the time of his passing.

“The Detroit Free Press has confirmed that former Michigan State basketball star Adreian Payne has died,” Andrew Hammond of the Detroit Free Press reported.

The former Spartan played four seasons for the collegiate powerhouse. Though he started in just a handful of games as a freshman, he went on to become a consistent starter for his three remaining years at the school. He was a star during his time at Michigan State and certainly left a mark on the program.

Following his collegiate career, Payne was drafted by the Atlanta Hawks in the first round of the 2014 NBA Draft.

He played for the Hawks, Minnesota Timberwolves and Orlando Magic during his time in the NBA.

When his NBA career wound down, Payne found great success in international basketball leagues. He played for several teams over the years.

At the moment, nothing is confirmed regarding a cause of death. Surely, more information will be gathered in the coming days and weeks.

Though Payne’s death is undoubtedly tragic, his memory will live on in the minds of his family, friends, teammates and the countless fans he made in the United States and all over the world during his basketball career.