Boston College Men’s Basketball 2023-24 Roster Countdown: #5 Fred Payne

Name: Fred Payne

Position: Guard

Year: Freshman

Number: 5

Height: 6’2”

Hometown: Grambling, LA (Legacy SSS HS)

Recruiting overview: Payne began his high school career at Lincoln Prep in Grambling, then transferred to Sunrise Christian in Kansas, and finished at the Legacy School of Sport Sciences in Texas. 247sports ranked him as a three-star recruit, the 31st combo guard in the country, and the 21st overall prospect in Texas. During his senior year, he helped Legacy win the CIBA Tournament and was named MVP of the event. That year, he was also named as a finalist for the Guy V. Lewis Award, which is given to the top boys basketball player in Houston. He had offers from six other Division I programs, including Tulane, St. Louis, and Louisiana, before he signed with BC in November 2022.

Season outlook: Payne is the only true freshman guard on the team, and he joins an already crowded backcourt, so where and when he will see playing time is a bit murky. With established players like Jaeden Zackery, Mason Madsen, Donald Hand, and Prince Aligbe in front of him, Payne most likely will be bench depth. Should he be impressive in practice as the season nears, he could sneak his way into the larger rotation. But Payne’s freshman year should be reserved for gaining experience and development, until there is a larger role for him to fill.

Fun fact: During BC’s European tour this summer, Payne had nine points, three rebounds, two assists, and four steals in a win over Orange1 Basketball in Florence.