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Time of India
3 days ago
- Sport
- Time of India
NBA: Gary Payton makes bold claim about Michael Jordan; believes season's Finals could go the distance
Fformer Seattle Supersonics and LA Lakers star Gary Payton speaks at an event in Mumbai. Mumbai: Gary Payton can talk about defense all day, understandably so. So good were his defensive skills back in the day, they called him 'The Glove'. So much importance he attached to the defensive side of basketball, he drilled it into his son Gary Payton II. He still does. And it's why the Naismith Basketball Hall of Famer, considered one of the best point guards of all time, believes the 2025 NBA Finals featuring Oklahoma City Thunder and the Indiana Pacers is set to be a 'great series'. 'I think this is going to be a great series. I like it because they both play defense. With both teams, you got five guys on the floor at all times who can go at each other,' Payton, a 2006 NBA champion with Miami Heat, told reporters here on Thursday. Go Beyond The Boundary with our YouTube channel. SUBSCRIBE NOW! On his maiden visit to India, the former Seattle Supersonics and LA Lakers star, who is in town for the BudX NBA House this weekend, stressed that there was more to the two finalists than just their star point guards, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander of Oklahoma and Indiana's Tyrese Haliburton. 'Well, it's not just these two, they lead it. But you have to understand with these two teams, they have other basketball players who are very dominant. And right now it's a different type of style of basketball than I played,' Payton said, adding: 'When I played, I could put my hands on them, I could control them and things, but you can't do that now. But what I would do with either one of the guards, I would try to trap them and make other people win the basketball game. 'With the two superstars, especially MVP Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, you have to get the ball out of his hands. Make other people beat you. Even with Haliburton, when he has a great game, the Indiana Pacers go.' Along their path to the Finals, the Pacers were never taken to a seventh game by any of their rivals. That could be about to change as they battle the Thunder for the famed Larry O'Brien Trophy. 'I really do think it can go to seven games. The first one who loses on their home court is probably going to be the loser,' Payton said. 'They're the best two teams right now in the NBA. Oklahoma has been the best team all year winning as many games they did, 60-plus. Let's see what Indiana got for them.' Asked how he viewed the way NBA basketball has evolved and the direction it was heading in, the 56-year-old made his preference clear. 'I would rather see a lot more defense. Right now, it's a lot of offense. 'I don't want to go to a game and see somebody score 130 points. For what? And somebody has 50 points, another player has 55, that's not a watch for me. That's crazy. I think I want to see somebody stop somebody. I want to see somebody take accountability of taking a person out of the game who's very valuable to their team. That's what I want to see, and that's what I dictate to my son all the time. That's why he's got the old school basketball game to him right now, because he guards everybody from one to five and I love that. ' For his gritty display during the second half of the 1996 NBA Finals where he was tasked with guarding Michael Jordan, Payton would go on to be regarded as one of the best defensive opponents of the legendary Chicago Bulls guard. Is that how he would like to be described to basketball fans who tuned in after he was gone? 'I don't care about being the best defender of Michael Jordan. That doesn't mean anything, I was the best defender of everybody,' he shot back. 'I guarded everybody. (Michael) wasn't just a focal point for me. Everybody in the NBA was a focal point for me. I would want to be remembered as the first two-way basketball player to play on both ends of the floor. I started that. 'I really didn't care about scoring, I cared about stopping the opponent, their best player. Because if I stop them that means I stop their basketball team, because they can't function without him. My legacy started because of defense. People say that. That's great, I love it. But really, my legacy started off with me being just a complete basketball player. Both ends of the floor, complete.'
USA Today
27-05-2025
- Sport
- USA Today
OKC Thunder jersey history No. 30 - Kevin Williams (1986-88)
OKC Thunder jersey history No. 30 - Kevin Williams (1986-88) The Oklahoma City Thunder (and the Seattle Supersonics before them) have 51 jersey numbers worn by the players who have suited up for the franchise since its founding at the start of the 1967-68 season. To commemorate the players who wore those numbers, Thunder Wire is covering the entire history of jersey numbers and the players who sported them since the founding of the team. And while those Supersonics jerseys may not remain part of the franchise history should a new team be established in Seattle as was the case with the return of the Charlotte Hornets, they are part of the Thunder's history today. For this article, we continue with the 30th jersey number in the series, jersey No. 30, with 13 players in total having donned the jersey in the history of the franchise. The seventh of those players did so in the Seattle SuperSonics era, guard alum Kevin Williams. After ending his college career at TCU, Williams was picked up with the 46th overall selection of the 1983 NBA draft by the San Antonio Spurs. The New Yorker also played for the Cleveland Cavaliers and in other domestic leagues before he signed with Seattle in 1986. His stay with the team would span two seasons, ending when he was drafted by the Miami Heat in the 1988 expansion draft held to populate that team. During his time suiting up for the Sonics, Williams wore only jersey No. 30 and put up 5.7 points, 1.4 rebounds, and 1.1 assists per game. All stats and data courtesy of Basketball Reference.
USA Today
25-05-2025
- Sport
- USA Today
OKC Thunder jersey history No. 30 - Charles Bradley (1983-84)
The Oklahoma City Thunder (and the Seattle Supersonics before them) have 51 jersey numbers worn by the players who have suited up for the franchise since its founding at the start of the 1967-68 season. To commemorate the players who wore those numbers, Thunder Wire is covering the entire history of jersey numbers and the players who sported them since the founding of the team. And while those Supersonics jerseys may not remain part of the franchise history should a new team be established in Seattle as was the case with the return of the Charlotte Hornets, they are part of the Thunder's history today. For this article, we continue with the 30th jersey number in the series, jersey No. 30, with 13 players in total having donned the jersey in the history of the franchise. The fifth of those players did so in the Seattle SuperSonics era, guard alum Charles Bradley. After ending his college career at Wyoming, Bradley was picked up with the 23rd overall selection of the 1981 NBA draft by the Boston Celtics. The Havre De Grace, Maryland native would play the first two seasons of his pro career with the Celtics, ending when he signed with Seattle for the final season of his career. Need a break? Play the USA TODAY Daily Crossword Puzzle During his time suiting up for the Sonics, Bradley wore only jersey No. 30 and put up 1.4 points per game. All stats and data courtesy of Basketball Reference.
USA Today
21-05-2025
- Sport
- USA Today
OKC Thunder jersey history No. 30 - John Tresvant (1969-70)
The Oklahoma City Thunder (and the Seattle Supersonics before them) have 51 jersey numbers worn by the players who have suited up for the franchise since its founding at the start of the 1967-68 season. To commemorate the players who wore those numbers, Thunder Wire is covering the entire history of jersey numbers and the players who sported them since the founding of the team. And while those Supersonics jerseys may not remain part of the franchise history should a new team be established in Seattle as was the case with the return of the Charlotte Hornets, they are part of the Thunder's history today. For this article, we continue with the 30th jersey number in the series, jersey No. 30, with 13 players in total having donned the jersey in the history of the franchise. The first of those players did so in the Seattle SuperSonics era, forward alum John Tresvant. After ending his college career at Seattle, Tresvant was picked up with the 42nd overall selection of the 1964 NBA draft by the (then) St. Louis (now, Atlanta) Hawks. The Washington, District of Columbia native would also have stints with the Detroit Pistons and (then) Cincinnati Royals (now, Sacramento Kings) before he was dealt to Seattle in 1969. His stay with the team would span part of two seasons, coming to an end when his contract was sold to the Los Angeles Lakers in 1970. Need a break? Play the USA TODAY Daily Crossword Puzzle During his time suiting up for the Sonics, Tresvant wore only jersey No. 30 and put up 12.9 points, 8.4 rebounds, and 2.1 assists per game. All stats and data courtesy of Basketball Reference.
Yahoo
13-05-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
"20, 10, five steals. Easily!" - Gary Payton on what his average would be in today's game at 56 years old
Gary Payton is known for exuding confidence during his playing years. Even in retirement, "The Glove" firmly believes he still possesses the skills to compete at an elite level. In fact, he is confident that if he were to step onto the court in today's NBA via a 10-day contract, he would be able to deliver remarkable performances and register impressive numbers. Payton's unwavering self-assurance reflects his competitive spirit and deep understanding of the game, suggesting that his talent remains sharp even after hanging up his sneakers. Having closely followed the current NBA era, GP is convinced he would have been a "problem" in today's game. Advertisement "Sh*t. 20 [points], 10 [assists], five steals. Easily! Easily! At 56," the Hall of Fame point guard said when asked what his average would be if he played in the NBA today at the 2025 All-Star celebrity game. "Man, I'm a problem. Problems. It's too easy. I still can get down, man. I get down anytime, man." GP on why it's easy to play in today's NBA Payton is one of the many NBA legends who have regularly criticized today's NBA. He believes this era strongly emphasizes entertainment, which is a significant shift from the style of play he experienced during his career. While GP recognizes the importance of entertainment in attracting fans and generating excitement, he also feels that this focus has led to a decline in the competitive spirit that once defined the game. In the past, the NBA was characterized by intense rivalries and hard-fought games. Players thrived in an environment where defense was as crucial as offense. Payton's game has drastically moved away from that type of basketball. "The game has changed, because right now, it's all about scoring," the former Seattle Supersonics point guard told Rolling Stone in 2014. "Kids want to see guys get dunks, kids want to see guys get 30-40 points and get into a rhythm and make basket after basket. That's what they're about. Now you don't see a guy hawking somebody 94 feet." Advertisement "Nowadays, that [defense] is not a big priority," Payton assessed. "We had a defensive scheme set with George Karl in Seattle, and that was our whole plan. Once we played defense and created turnovers, we made the game a lot easier, and that started with me... That was my whole thing: to turn a guy at least three times." "And when the other four guys see me up at the front working my butt off, they would say, 'OK, we can't make it easy for this guy to pass the ball, let's get the passing lanes, let's get a steal and reward Gary for what he's doing.' That's the way I used to approach the game," he added. The game needs balance In conclusion, Payton acknowledges that the NBA has evolved, and with that evolution comes the necessity to adapt. The league is now more accessible to a global audience, and the emphasis on entertainment, such as high-scoring games, flashy plays, and star-studded events, undeniably helps maintain public interest. Advertisement However, "The Glove" argues that while entertainment is essential, it should not come at the expense of competition. He firmly believes that a balance must be struck between these two elements of NBA basketball. Related: "I would research guys that I think I would go at" - Gary Payton on why he thinks his trash talk wouldn't work in today's era
