Practice, not games, where Payne earns his rookie stripes

POSTED: Mar 23, 2016 10:48 AM ET

Look beyond the sporadic playing time -- three minutes against the Los Angeles Clippers, followed by two games of not getting off the bench, followed by four minutes (vs. the Clippers), followed by two more games not getting off the bench, followed by 21 minutes (against the Portland Trail Blazers) and 22 minutes (against the Boston Celtics).

Look beyond his shooting percentage, which is in a third consecutive month of decline and the chance that never came to have a key reserve role for a playoff team. Look across to who is waiting for Cameron Payne at Thunder practice to see why Payne will be better in the long run after a rookie season of limited game opportunities.
All-Star Russell Westbrook is waiting, snarling attitude in tow, willing to take apart someone on his own team in the name of a good practice. And, just maybe, Westbrook is especially willing when that someone is a rookie trying to re-shape himself into a speed bump to slow a great offensive player while also trying to get around an elite defender, too. Those workouts can get very, very long while contending with Westbrook at the top of his game.

Payne is getting a special brand of on-court hazing, and that's a good thing. Some first-year players get a crash course with big minutes. Some get a steady ration of decent opportunities. And some -- or one in particular -- develop because who they face most every practice is a tougher opponent than pretty much any game assignment.

Payne Finds Kanter

Cameron Payne delivers a beautiful no-look assist to Enes Kanter for the finish.

"I feel it will pay off dramatically," Payne said. "I think me being under Russ and D.J. Augustin, when he was here (before being traded to the Nuggets in February), I learned a lot. Already I've learned so much and I know I have a lot more to learn. But as much as I've learned in this short period of time I feel even that's going to help me dramatically. I'm going to constantly do it -- keep going up against him, keep talking to him, keep trying to find things out, learn more things, I think all that will help me big time."
That realization struck him almost immediately after the Thunder used the No. 14 pick on the Murray State standout last June. His brother pointed it out within an hour -- you'll be going against Westbrook all the time and you'd better be ready. Payne felt like he would be, product of a mid-major or not. Then training camp started and it turned out that no one can truly be ready for Hurricane Russ.

College Highlights: Cameron Payne

Take a look at some highlights from Cameron Payne as the 2015 NBA draft approaches.

Payne kept coming back for more. When he got his opportunity to play a significant role in January, he delivered with a commendable assist-to-turnover ratio of 3.27-to-1, offered a little 3-point range and showed why he shot up Draft boards last season. The 17.3 minutes a game that month faded once Randy Foye arrived from Denver in the Augustin deal, to 12.5 in February and 11.2 so far in March, but the chance to think about the benefits in the long term of facing Westbrook on a regular basis did not.
The biggest thing he learned from Westbrook, Payne said, is "Bringing it every day. Even in practice." Because if you don't, "You're going to get exposed."
Many rookies learn that along the way, but few live it first hand. He'll be better for this season of not playing in games because of it.
To the rankings:

1. Karl-Anthony Towns, Minnesota Timberwolves (Last week: 1)

Towns Drops 24 on Warriors

Karl-Anthony Towns has 24 points and 11 rebounds in a loss to the Warriors.

Towns is on pace for the third-best production on the boards for a Rookie of the Year of the 2000s, topped only by the 12.1 of Blake Griffin in 2010-11 that is out of reach and the 10.9 by Emeka Okafor in 2004-05. Towns is at 10.3, tied for eighth in the league after posting 10.9 in January, 11.8 in February and 10.5 the first 10 games of March. He is also 10th in blocks.

2. Kristaps Porzingis, New York Knicks (2)

Porzingis' Nifty Layup

Kristaps Porzingis drives in and drains the nifty layup in traffic.

He has started to rebound well and block shots again after being dragged down by a stomach virus, and it's a good thing. Porzingis is shooting just 31.9 percent overall the last five appearances, with another missed due to the illness, and 25 percent behind the arc. But he also has multiple blocks in two of the last three games to hold at No. 7 in the league (1.7 blocks per game) and seven boards in each of the three. He's going to need to continue to produce in those areas, and maybe even at a higher rate, if the offense continues to limp to the finish line.

3. Nikola Jokic, Denver Nuggets (3)

No one could have imagined at the start of the season that the No. 41 pick from 2014 would be third among rookies in double-doubles, and he still has a chance to get to second with a late kick. Jokic has 14, four behind Porzingis. It will be tough while playing in the low-to-mid 20s in minutes.

4. D'Angelo Russell, Los Angeles Lakers (4)

D'Angelo Russell's Season Highlights

D'Angelo Russell has stepped up his play in a big way. Check the Lakers' top pick do work around the league!

He has struggled with the ball the last week or so (37.9 percent shooting in his last three games, seven assists and 10 turnovers in the same stretch), but so have most of the others in the top half of The Ladder. No harm done yet in the rankings. Now comes the big challenge of five games in the next eight days, including Wednesday against Devin Booker and the Phoenix Suns (10 ET, NBA League Pass) and Friday against Emmanuel Mudiay and the Denver Nuggets (10:30 ET, NBA League Pass)in a showdown of top rookie guards.

5. Justise Winslow, Miami Heat (5)

Winslow Throws Down

Goran Dragic feeds Justise Winslow who throws down the dunk.

One for the campaign materials: Winslow is "going to be one of the greatest defenders in this league," Nicolas Batum of the Charlotte Hornets said last week, via Ethan J. Skolnick. Winslow already is one of the better rookie defenders and continues to post improving shooting numbers, not a great surprise for someone who had a perimeter game even in his one-season stint at Duke. Staying anywhere close to the 50 percent shooting he's posted so far in March will mark a third consecutive month of improvement from the field, putting him in the top 15 in the class.

6. Jahlil Okafor, Philadelphia 76ers (6)

The next big question, beyond the important on-court topics of a season ended by a knee injury, is whether Okafor banked enough good will with voters to make first-team All-Rookie while missing 29 games. He will, at worst, finish second among rookies in scoring (unless a late Towns slump moves Okafor back into first) and could also finish top five in rebounding, blocks, minutes, double-doubles and shooting. That puts moving up The Ladder, while not preferred while on the sideline, not out of the question.

7. Myles Turner, Indiana Pacers (8)

Ellis Finds Turner

Monta Ellis throws it up to Myles Turner for the and-one layup.

The good numbers are starting to return after a few weeks of slipping -- three blocks in 26 minutes Monday against the 76ers, eight rebounds and two blocks Saturday against the Thunder, 10 boards (in just 18 minutes, while battling foul trouble) Thursday against the Raptors. Turner is handling the increased scrutiny of a playoff race the week he turns 20 and, in what would be his sophomore college season, will be key to Indiana staying in the postseason race. The shooting has been a struggle on the whole -- 41.1 percent in March -- but at least he's at 49.2 the last six games.

8. Devin Booker, Phoenix Suns (7)

Booker Lifts Suns Past Lakers

Devin Booker tallies 21 points and seven assists as Phoenix holds on to beat Los Angeles, 95-90.

Booker has been playing huge minutes since late-February -- 37.5 per game in March alone -- a commitment that has become especially noteworthy lately as interim coach Earl Watson lets him play through foul trouble and shooting struggles. Booker is up to seventh in the class in minutes (26.2), not bad for a guy with an inconsistent role early. But he's also at 40.5 percent from the field in March, including 27.4 percent on 3-pointers http://on.nba.com/1pI44GP, although the assists are up.

9. Emmanuel Mudiay, Denver Nuggets (9)

He never goes a little bad. Mudiay's future on The Ladder is back in doubt after the an encouraging stretch as a shooter and ball handler since January gave way to another nose dive on offense. He is 13-for-49 with just 13 assists in his last four games. He needs a strong finish to enter the offseason on a good note and affirm he could sustain the gains shown in the second half of 2015-16.

10. Josh Richardson, Miami Heat (not ranked)

Richardson's 4-Point Play

Josh Richardson hits the 3-pointer plus gets fouled on the play.

Several candidates had a claim for the final spot, including the outgoing Bobby Portis of the Chicago Bulls as well as Trey Lyles of the Utah Jazz, Stanley Johnson of the Detroit Pistons and former No. 6 rung holder Rondae Hollis-Jefferson (back after missing 50 games with an ankle injury). Richardson gets the nod, though. He's become an unexpected rotation player on a playoff team after being picked in the second round and not averaging double-digit minutes until January. Now, he's No. 1 in the class in 3-point percentage (46.6 percent), No. 10 overall in shooting despite a bad start, playing solid defense in the backcourt, often getting more than 30 minutes, and averaging 12.0 points in March.
Scott Howard-Cooper has covered the NBA since 1988. You can e-mail him here and follow him on Twitter.
The views on this page do not necessarily reflect the views of the NBA, its clubs or Turner Broadcasting.