Elfrid Payton, the Orlando Magic’s rookie point guard, wondered whether he’d be able to beat defenders off the dribble in the pros with the same success he enjoyed in college at Louisiana-Lafayette.
He’s fared well so far.
Magic coach Jacque Vaughn said Payton has been able to separate himself from defenders and reach the hoop in intrasquad scrimmages.
“Definitely so,” Vaughn said. “I think part of that aggressiveness is a mindset of wanting to put the ball on the ground and getting in the teeth of the defense and making plays at the rim. He has the ability to get into the paint. He has the size to do it and some instincts — just natural instincts — of what to do when he gets to the rim. So I’ve been very pleased with that.”
In June, the Magic acquired Payton in a draft-night trade after the Philadelphia 76ers selected Payton 10th overall.
On Friday, Vaughn called Payton “a very competitive individual.”
“He wants to win whether it’s a one-on-one drill, whether it’s a five-on-five scrimmage,” Vaughn added. “His ability to compete and raise the level of his teammates with that passion of competing? I definitely have been able to see that.”
Vaughn also indicated he’s been impressed with the rookie forward Aaron Gordon‘s defense. The Magic picked Gordon fourth overall.
“He has been a pleasant surprise of being in the right spot and spaces for a rookie,” Vaughn said.
“He’s very strong, so it allows him to be physical without fouling. That’s a key component in today’s world of defense: being physical but not fouling. He’s shown the capability to guard out on the perimeter but also show resistance if the ball goes into the post because of his strength. So I’ve been pleased to see that from him.”
Happy Wildcat
Magic power forward Channing Frye received two bits of good news Thursday and early Friday.
First, he learned the left-knee injury he suffered earlier in the day was a sprain to his medial collateral ligament instead of a more serious injury.
Second, he saw his alma mater, the University of Arizona, upset second-ranked Oregon 31-24 in Eugene.
“That’s what we do!” Frye told reporters Friday. “We go in there and we shock the world. I knew it was going to happen. The rest of the people from U of A knew it was going to happen. The world just didn’t want to believe it.”
Frye had made a wager with Oregon alumnus and Magic teammate Luke Ridnour.
Because the Ducks lost, Ridnour had to wear an Arizona Wildcats practice jersey and utter the phrase “Bear down, Arizona.”
Frye posted a video on Instagram of Ridnour in the jersey and repeating the phrase.
Ridnour complied, saying the three words in a subdued monotone.
“This is terrible,” Ridnour said.
Layups
* The Magic were scheduled to practice twice on Friday. Vaughn planned for the team to scrimmage during the evening session.
* Despite his injury, Frye expected to do some upper-body strength work while his teammates practiced.
* Frye said he won’t have trouble adjusting to the Magic’s offense once he returns from injury. He explained that he’s played in similar offenses in recent seasons with the Portland Trail Blazers and Phoenix Suns.
jbrobbins@tribune.com. Read his blog at OrlandoSentinel.com/magicblog and follow him on Twitter at @JoshuaBRobbins.
