Better Know A USF Basketball Player: #4 F/G Payton Banks

We’re excited around here, and for good reason. USF has finally decided to field a men’s basketball team this season! With the program being brand new, there are a lot of new players for us all to learn about. Between now and the season opener on Friday, we’ll introduce everyone to you, in numerical order.

#4 F/G Payton Banks, Graduate Student, 6’6”, 223 lbs.

How He Came to USF: Banks originally signed and played for Penn State, then transferred to USF as a grad student. He started 44 games for the Nittany Lions over the course of his career, including 31 out of 32 in 2015-16.

“Coach [Brian] Gregory was an awesome recruiter. He was at Michigan State and he watched me play for a while. I wanted to go somewhere where somebody already knew my game a little bit.”

2016 with Penn State: Banks played in 32 games, with 13 starts. He averaged a career-high 10.4 points per game. He knocked down 36% of his three-point attempts and hit over 80% of his free throws. He scored over 20 points four times, including a career-high-tying 24 at Illinois.

2015 with Penn State: Started in every game except for senior night and averaged 9.4 PPG. He shot 32% from three and made 73% of his free throws.

2014 with Penn State: Played in 29 games but only averaged about nine minutes per game. Scored just under two points per game.

2013 with Penn State: Redshirted

Banks looks to be the three-point threat for the basketball team this season. He showed his range on Friday night’s exhibition victory over Flagler, hitting six of seven from beyond the arc. Expect him to get big minutes and a lot of green lights this year.