Latest news with #GaryPayton
Yahoo
26-05-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Gary Payton explains how he dominated games in his prime: "In the first quarter I would get eight, nine points and then in the second quarter I would only assist"
Just as the sport has transformed over the decades, the role of the point guard has also undergone a significant evolution. Whereas court generals in the past emphasized setting the table up for their teammates to get easy baskets, today's crop of point guards is expected to shoulder more of the scoring load. One player who excelled in both aspects during his prime was Gary Payton. The nine-time NBA All-Star and Hall of Famer has been considered one of the greatest point guards in the history of the NBA. In a recent interview, he shared his approach to dominating a game during the peak of his abilities. Not worried about scoring In an era when many players worry about getting theirs, GP said he knew his primary responsibilities. At the top of his list was looking for the hot hand or mismatch and milking that until the defense stopped it. Advertisement "If I know that I got a shooting guard that's getting off, I'm a point guard — where I'mma call that play every time. And I'm not worried about scoring. I'm gonna guarantee you I'm going to milk something," "The Glove" explained. "If I know a big man got the ball — boom — I'mma keep milking it to you. I'm not worried about scoring." For almost a decade, the 6'4" guard from Oregon State was the heart and soul of the Seattle SuperSonics. During that nine-season stretch, he averaged 20.9 points, 7.9 assists and 2.1 steals per game and led the Sonics to the 1996 NBA Finals where they lost to Michael Jordan and the Chicago Bulls. Make no mistake: Payton had scoring chops and utilized them to keep the defense guessing and honest. "See, in my era, what I did was: in the first quarter, I'll get about eight, nine points. And then the second quarter, I'll do nothing but assist. And then in the next quarter, I'll do points and assists," the former Defensive Player of the Year noted. Advertisement "And then by the time the fourth quarter come, I can score — because my numbers will be like 18 and nine. Because if I know that I got a mismatch somewhere, that's what a point guard is supposed to notice," he added. Related: "They think he was a chubby White guy" - Kareem Abdul-Jabbar thinks people don't appreciate Larry Bird enough GP knew what his bread and butter was Though the nine-time All-NBA Team member was capable of scoring with the best in the league, he understood that wasn't his primary role — or his team's best strategy. As the lead ballhandler, the team's success rested on his every decision. Advertisement Whether it was delivering a perfect pass to a rolling Shawn Kemp, finding open shooters like Hersey Hawkins, or later in his career setting up Dwyane Wade and Shaquille O'Neal, GP's unparalleled court vision is what truly distinguished him from other point guards. "I'm supposed to notice: 'No, I'mma go on a pick and roll. I'mma get a mismatch here. I'mma let him roll him down. I'mma feed it to him, and I'mma get him involved in the game.' I don't have to come down thinking I'mma score every time. That's not my game," Payton emphasized. "My game is to make everybody else around me better. And they got to — they got to—they got to be worried about me." "If I can penetrate to the basket and I suck four people in, I'm not trying to score and get a bucket. I'm going — bing — and get you an easy bucket. That's what we're trying to do," he concluded. GP will be best known for his defensive prowess and motormouth. However, an understated element of his game was his playmaking skills and ability to involve his teammates. He was a superb passer, always looking for the open man and making smart decisions with the ball in his hands. Related: Gary Payton believes Stephen Curry is not a real point guard: "We are putting shooting guards as point guards now in the NBA"
Yahoo
24-05-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Gary Payton admits he made mistakes when teaching his son how to play basketball: "I was thinking about myself, how I played, and I wanted him to play that way"
Like most fathers, Gary Payton wanted his son to be like him. But not only did he just want his namesake son to follow in his footsteps and become a professional basketball player, he wanted him to be the same player he was in the NBA. But living up to his father's name was like mission impossible for Gary II. His father was a nine-time NBA All-Star, nine-time All-NBA team selection, nine-time All-Defensive first team member, the 1996 NBA Defensive Player of the Year, and a member of the NBA's 75th Anniversary team. Advertisement Trying to dictate GP2's early basketball career caused a rift between father and son that almost derailed the younger Payton's basketball career. Ultimately, Gary Sr. realized that for his son to realize his full potential, he had to let him be himself. "At the first time that I was thinking of myself, how I played, and I wanted him to play that way. Y'all gotta understand man, there is only one Gary Payton, and that's me. I just named my son after me, that's it," he said. "So I told my son 'Look here man, I know you mad at me.' We got into a situation where our relationship wasn't really cool because of that." Gary didn't think GP2 would go to Oregon State According to the elder Payton, he tried to discourage GP2 the way his father did him. Early on, it looked like the pressure of living up to his name caught up with Gary II. However, by his junior year in HS, "The Young Glove" decided that he wasn't going to listen to the noise and was going to play his own game. Advertisement After high school, GP2 wanted to enroll at St. Mary's College in Moraga, California. However, his dad took him to Oregon State, where he once starred. At first, Gary thought his son would not take the challenge. But he did, and that was when the old man realized that his kid was no longer intimidated by his reputation. "When he made that decision to go to Oregon State behind me, that was a big deal for me because I really didn't think that he was going to do that. So I tell him all the time, I said 'Look here, Don't never think that you gotta be like me. It ain't going to work that way.' I said 'If you want to be like, be anything with me, just get your picture up a side of me. And let us be two legends together." The best thing about GP2 isn't even related to basketball GP2's number isn't retired by OSU like his dad's is. Unlike his father, who was the No.2 pick in the 1990 NBA Draft, his son took a longer route to the NBA after being undrafted in 2016. But while he hasn't been as good as his dad in the NBA, he's played nine seasons in the association and is coming off the second-best scoring year of his career in Golden State. That's impressive but it's not what makes Gary Sr. the proudest. Advertisement "The best thing I like about my kid is that when people come up to me, they don't talk about basketball. They talk about how good of a person he is, and how sweet he is. That makes a dad feel better because I know I did what I had to do as a parent," he added. Like all NBA dads, Gary was away most of the time because of his basketball career. But hearing people say nice things about GP2 as a person—"The Glove" says that's the best feeling for any father—and it's not even basketball-related. Related: "That is the worst basketball ever" - GP shares why constant switching on defense is a big problem in today's NBA
Yahoo
22-05-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
"As long as we win basketball games, I don't care" – Gary Payton emphasized winning over stats during 2004 playoff run
Gary Payton had to sacrifice a lot when he joined the Los Angeles Lakers in 2003. It was his chance to win an NBA title, a glaring missing piece in the basketball resume of the 2nd overall pick of the 1990 Draft. Unfortunately, "The Glove" struggled to mesh with the system of the Purple and Gold, a reason why he wasn't exactly at ease in LA. In a rare move, the Oregon State product was allowed to play his usual game by Game 3 of the 2004 Western Conference. And while it seemed "The Glove" proved he could be efficient playing his game, he chose to downplay his performance. Advertisement "I don't care about that," Payton said to reporters about the change in his game via NYT. "As long as we win basketball games, I don't care." Payton was sorely unhappy in LA Payton, who saw his numbers dip dramatically, was mainly concerned about achieving what he signed up for – winning an NBA ring. With him and Karl Malone joining forces with Shaquille O'Neal and Kobe Bryant at the time, his chances were looking good. Although he was instantly a starter for the Lakers in the regular season in all 82 games, his playing time and production significantly diminished. In his tenure with the Lakers, he averaged only 14.6 points, 5.5 assists, 4.2 rebounds and 1.2 steals in 34.5 minutes of action. Advertisement Those are decent numbers for any player. But considering he was averaging 18.2 points, 7.4 assists, 4.2 rebounds and 2.1 steals when he was still with the Seattle Supersonics, those were big drops. With Payton obviously unhappy, it was another contributing factor to the tumultuous season the Lakers had. Like GP, Malone also struggled to adjust while O'Neal and Bryant tried to find a way to get along and mesh with Payton and "The Mailman." LA managed to get to the 2004 NBA Finals and it appeared the championship was within reach. But surprisingly, the Detroit Pistons pulled off a shocker by foiling the Lakers in five games. Given the performance of the Lakers that season, the result was hardly surprising. The team did look good on paper, but with key players like Shaq, Kobe and Karl bitten by the injury bug, developing some chemistry among the four stars was hard to accomplish. Advertisement Related: "His discipline is not allowed to be used today" - Shaquille O'Neal is now thankful for his father's constant brutality It wasn't a fit for "The Glove" In the early part of the 2003-2004 season, Payton admitted that it appeared the Lakers would roll over the opposition. That was until the injury bug bit Malone, a development that would alter the course of the Purple and Gold in the regular season. "When Karl Malone got hurt, we were 18-3," Payton said. "We were rolling; they were talking about us beating the Chicago Bulls record. And then all of a sudden, we went up and down," he added. Payton was the only one who managed to stay healthy throughout that season. He did his best to keep the Lakers afloat, playing the entire season. But with other members of the "Fab Four" struggling with injuries, fulfilling their mission at the time was a tall order. Advertisement "I'm the only one who played 82 games out of the big four and everybody else. And we still went to the Finals. It was just not meant to be," the 1996 Defensive Player of the Year rued. Payton unsurprisingly left LA after that forgetful stint, moving to the Boston Celtics in 2004. Luckily, the 9-time All-Star did get to win a championship in 2006 with the Miami Heat, ironically alongside his former Lakers teammate, Shaquille O'Neal. Gary had quite the ride in the league, but eventually accomplished everything any NBA player would dream of. He is considered one of the most complete guards the league had ever seen, someone who could do it well on both ends of the basketball court. Related: "He's more impressive when you're playing with him than against him" - Dennis Rodman admits he was in awe of Scottie Pippen from day one
NDTV
06-05-2025
- Entertainment
- NDTV
First-Ever BUDX NBA House In India To Take Place In June
The National Basketball Association (NBA) and Budweiser today announced that the first-ever BUDX NBA House in India, an interactive fan event celebrating the convergence of basketball, music and culture, will take place on Saturday, June 7 and Sunday, June 8 at the DOME, SVP Stadium, in Mumbai. Held in conjunction with the 2025 NBA Finals, the two-day event will feature basketball-themed activities, live musical performances, meet-and-greets with five-time NBA champion Derek Fisher and Naismith Basketball Hall of Famer Gary Payton, photo opportunities with the Larry O'Brien Trophy, as well as performances by Sacramento Kings mascot Slamson, the Kings Dancers and the Kings' dunk team. "The first BUDX NBA House will be a must-visit destination for the passionate NBA fans in India to come together and celebrate their love of the game amid the excitement of the NBA Finals," said NBA Asia Head of Strategy and NBA India Country Head Rajah Chaudhry. "We look forward to bringing this signature showcase of the NBA, music and culture to India at a time when there is incredible momentum around basketball in the country." "Budweiser has always been at the forefront of cultural and entertainment experiences, and we are proud to associate with the NBA to bring the first-ever BUDX NBA House to India," said Vice President Marketing and Trade Marketing, AB InBev India, Vineet Sharma. "This collaboration reflects our commitment to creating unforgettable moments for fans that not only celebrate the game of basketball, but also push boundaries in offering immersive experiences in music, sports and culture. We have been pioneers in shaping music culture in India, and this experience will further our mission of bringing alive never-before seen trendsetting experiences for Indian youth." BUDX NBA House will be produced and ticketed by District by Zomato. In addition to Budweiser, BUDX NBA House will be supported by a roster of partners, including Brand USA, Emirates and Visit California. Listen to the latest songs, only on
USA Today
20-04-2025
- Sport
- USA Today
Gary Payton on not fitting in with Phil Jackson's triangle offense while with the Lakers
Gary Payton on not fitting in with Phil Jackson's triangle offense while with the Lakers Gary Payton is a former member of the Los Angeles Lakers who has seemingly fallen through the cracks of the franchise's storied history. He was a Hall of Fame point guard who was a legitimate scoring threat and a masterful facilitator and floor general for many years. But he was mostly known for his withering defense, which led to him being nicknamed "The Glove." He was mostly associated with the Seattle SuperSonics, the team he played for starting when he was a rookie during the 1990-91 season until he was traded to the Milwaukee Bucks midway through the 2002-03 season. During the summer of 2003, the nine-time All-Star and Hall of Fame power forward Karl Malone joined Shaquille O'Neal and Kobe Bryant on the Lakers, leading many fans to predict yet another NBA championship and possibly a 70-win campaign. Instead, Murphy's Law reigned supreme during that 2003-04 season. The team was hit with a number of injuries, and it had to deal with Bryant's impending free agency and legal problems, among other things. One of the other issues it dealt with was Payton not fitting into head coach Phil Jackson's triangle offense. He told Brandon "Scoop B" Robinson that it simply didn't work for him. 'It wasn't about me tripping and being incompetent at learning the offense,' Payton said. 'I didn't want to learn the [expletive] offense; I wanted to play the way I wanted to play.' The triangle offense is a motion offense that minimizes the use of a traditional point guard who dictates the tempo and controls where the basketball goes during any given possession. Instead, it's an "equal opportunity offense" that is based on players running sequence after sequence in real time, based on how the defense reacts, and constantly moving the ball accordingly. Payton, on the other hand, had a somewhat high usage rate and was very much the type of point guard who controlled things for his team. With career averages of 18.3 points and 7.4 assists a game before coming to L.A., he wasn't the type of prototypical point guard Jackson was used to having alongside Bryant or Michael Jordan. 'I came in used to having the ball in my hands,' Payton once said in a previous interview. 'All of a sudden I'm being told to go to the corner and wait? That's not how I play.' In one season with the Lakers, his numbers dropped to 14.6 points and 5.5 assists per game. Despite their many problems, they managed to reach the NBA Finals, but their bid for their fourth championship in five years failed when they came apart at the seams and lost in five games to the Detroit Pistons. Payton only mustered a meager 4.2 points a game in that championship series. He would get his ring two years later with O'Neal on the Miami Heat. But by that point in his career, he was merely a backup point guard and just another part of the machinery.
