You’ve undoubtedly seen at least one of his season highlights, and you may be aware of the NBA family tree he comes from, but who is Gary Payton II, the 28-year-old guard with Warriors supporters buzzing this season?

Background

Gary Payton II, the son of Hall-of-Fame point player Gary Payton, called The Glove, was born in Seattle, Washington, on December 1, 1992.

At the time, his father played for the Supersonics. He attended Westwind Prep in Phoenix and Spring Valley High in Las Vegas for high school. Before completing his undergraduate studies at Oregon State, he attended Salt Lake Community College for two years.

He is 195 pounds and stands at 191 cm, or 6 feet 3 inches.

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College Career 

Payton II spent two seasons at Salt Lake Community College, where as a freshman in 2013, he helped the team capture the SWAC title and the Region 18 Championship. Payton II was named Second Team NJCAA Division I All-American as a sophomore after averaging 14.1 points, 7.9 rebounds, 1.9 steals, and 3.8 assists per game. He was called Region 18 Tournament Most Valuable Player and 2014 Region 18 Co-Player of the Year. He switched to Oregon State, the alma school of his father, after his second season, though.

Payton II, a Beaver, made history as the second Oregon State player to ever post a triple-double in a game by scoring 10 points, having 12 rebounds, and dishing out ten assists against Grambling State. Mr. Gary Payton

Payton II had a reputation as a fierce defender, just like his well-known father. The Pac-12 coaches selected Payton as a member of the All-Pac-12 First Team, All-Pac-12 Defensive Team, and Pac-12 Defensive Player of the Year in 2015.

Payton II entered the 2016 NBA Draft after playing for Oregon State for two seasons.

Professional Career 

Payton II’s path to the NBA encountered a snag in 2016 when he went undrafted.

Before being released, he joined the Rockets Summer League club and played six games. Soon after, he joined the Rio Grande Valley Vipers, the Rockets’ G-League club. Soon after beginning his G-League career, he scored 51 points against the Los Angeles D-Fenders, displaying the beginnings of his explosiveness. He signed with the Milwaukee Bucks in April 2017—another franchise his father played for—and made his debut that night.

After the 2017–18 preseason, the Bucks released him. A few days later, the team gave him a two-way deal so he could play for the Wisconsin Herd in the G-League. However, in December of that same year, the Bucks rereleased him.

Payton II would alternate between the NBA and G-League for a few years, spending time with the Los Angeles Lakers, Rio Grande, the Washington Wizards, South Bay Lakers, and the 905 Raptors, among others.

He agreed to a 10-day contract in April 2021 with the Golden State Warriors, followed by a 1-day extension when the first one expired. Warriors signed him for the remainder of recent campaign and the one after before being waived and re-signed in October.

Payton II has played in 11 games this season and is averaging 6.0 points, 2.3 rebounds, and 1.2 steals per contest.

Payton II has finally located a secure home with the Golden State Warriors after experiences with five G-League and four NBA teams over five years.

 

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