NBA Draft Basketball

NBA draft prospect Adreian Payne of Michigan State, points to fans before the start of the 2014 NBA draft, Thursday, June 26, 2014, in New York. (AP Photo/Jason DeCrow)

Between Andrew Wiggins' flowered suit coat, Aaron Gordon’s light blue ensemble and bowties galore, the outfits of the 2014 NBA draft hopefuls garnered plenty of attention.

Adreian Payne dressed to gain attention as well. But the former Michigan State forward wasn’t looking for attention for himself.

Payne wore a pink-accented outfit to Thursday's draft to honor Lacey Holsworth, the 8-year-old Michigan State fan Payne grew close to who passed away from cancer in April.

Stitched inside the lining of the coat were the words “Adreian and Lacey.”

“I wanted to do something in her memory and something that would mean something to me, something that would stick out, something that was different, something I knew that she would really like,” Payne said on a teleconference Thursday night after the draft.

The suit included a blue plaid coat with a pink lining, a pink boutonniere and a pink pocket square. His white shirt had pink buttons, and he wore a white-and-pink bow tie.

And the most noticeable part of the ensemble: the pink pants on the 6-foot-10 frame.

Put together, Payne thought it was a fitting tribute for the girl known as "Princess Lacey," and one he hopes raises awareness.

“This was it, this was something I can do to help bring more awareness to her cancer and to cancer, really, for anything,” Payne said.

More than two months after Lacey's death, her story continues to resonate. The first question asked of Payne on the ESPN broadcast after he was picked No. 15 to Atlanta were about Lacey.

Payne shared the night with Lacey’s parents, Matt and Heather, who joined him at the Barclays Center after staying close to throughout the draft process.

“I just wanted to be able to help the community and help kids out, so I know this would be a big night, it’s a big night for me, so I just wanted to be able to make a statement,” Payne said.

• Download the MSU basketball on MLive app for iPhone and Android

• Download the MSU football on MLive app for iPhone and Android

•Follow Mike Griffith and Kyle Austin on Twitter

•Like MLive's Michigan State Spartans Facebook page