DAVIS, Calif. - UC Davis men's basketball alum Mark Payne capped an all-star season with Champagne Châlons-Reims Basket, a French club team that competed in the League Nationale de Basket, by receiving All-Pro A first team honors.

Competing in France's top professional league for the first time last season, Payne was one of only two American players named to the first team. A panel of coaches and media members also selected three native-born players to Pro A's list of top talents. 

Payne, CCRB's team MVP, was also a finalist for this year's Pro A MVP award by virtue of his first team selection.

By earning this prestigious award from the league, Champagne Châlons-Reims Basket honored Payne before the start of its final home game.

Payne competed in 30 games for CCRB and saw action in a team-high 32 minutes per appearance. The Aggie alum led all players with his .622 field goal percentage, 15.1 points per game scoring clip, averaged 5.0 rebounds and 3.2 assists per game.

With Payne leading the way, CCRB won 13 games - the fifth-highest total in an 18-team league.

A multi-faceted basketball talent who was known as the "Swiss Army Knife" throughout the league, Payne competed on a team comprised of 12 international players against a squad comprised of French-born talent at the LNB's All-Star Game - the league's marquee event - last January. 

Payne joined Champagne Châlons-Reims Basket last season after enjoying his most successful year abroad as a member of Greek club PAOK Thessaloniki in 2013-14.  

The No. 7 all-time leading scorer in UC Davis' history (1,382 pts.) drew CCRB's attention after posting impressive numbers across the board with PAOK - the second Greek professional team that signed Payne to a professional contract.

The Stockton, California, native competed for Panionios BC Athens throughout the 2012-13 season.