Gary Payton
| Position: Guard |
Olympic #: 14 |
| Born: 7/23/68 (Oakland, Calif.) |
College:Oregon State Univ. |
| Height: 6’ 4” |
Weight: 190 lbs. |
Things just keep getting better for Seattle SuperSonics guard Gary Payton.
But that's not to say that things haven't been anything but just fine with the All-Star guard.
Starting every game during his collegiate career at Oregon State, Payton left no question about his skills after playing four seasons for the Ducks. Named All-America first team as a senior at Oregon State in 1990, Payton was tabbed the Player of the Year by Sports Illustrated and the Pac-10 Player of the Year by the conference coaches. Capping his collegiate career as the all-time leading scorer at Oregon State with 2,172 points (18.1 ppg.), Payton built a big-time reputation as a scorer and defensive stopper. Named to the Pac-10 all-decade team, Payton's senior
year numbers of 25.7 points, 8.1 assists, 4.7 assists and 50.4 percent shooting from the floor, raised more than a few eyebrows among NBA scouts.
When the NBA Draft came around in 1990, Payton wasn't around long. Selected second, behind number one pick Derrick Coleman, Payton was the highest player ever drafted by the SuperSonics.
In his inaugural season in the NBA, the 6-4 multi-faceted guard did not disappoint. Starting all 82 games as a rookie, he finished the year ranked 12th in assists and 20th in steals while leading all NBA rookies in both categories, and earned NBA All-Rookie second team honors.
His stats over the next four seasons improved in almost every area and in 1994-95, Payton finished the season ranked 16th in scoring, averaging a career-best 20.6 ppg., 15th in assists, dishing off 7.1 a game, and third in steals, stripping opponents for nearly 2.5 steals a game. His efforts were rewarded as he was named second team All-NBA and for the second consecutive season, NBA All-Defensive first team.
Earning his third trip in six seasons to the NBA All-Star Classic in 1995-96, Payton continued on a roll. While his scoring dipped slightly to 19.3 ppg., the second highest scoring output of his NBA career, most of his other numbers were up to career highs. Proving that he was now a definite three-point threat, Payton drained 32.8 percent (98-299) for his tries from beyond the three-point arc. Helping lead the Sonics to the NBA's second best regular season record of 64-18 and to the NBA Finals, Payton finished off the '95-'96 campaign as the NBA's leader in steals,
averaging 2.85 steals a game, and he ranked 10th in assists (7.5 apg.), 10th for total minutes played (3015) and 12th in minutes averaged (39.0 minutes a game).
Proving that he is as durable as he is talented, in his six NBA seasons, Payton has played in all but two, 490 of 492 games, of his team's regular season games.
But there's more to Gary Payton than scoring, passing and durability. Recognized as perhaps the NBA's best defensive guard currently playing, Payton took it one step higher in 1996 when he was selected as the NBA's Defensive Player of Year. An award that at season's end has ended up in a big man's hands more often than not, Payton became the first guard to collect the coveted award since Michael Jordan brought home the hardware in 1988 and just the fifth guard to earn the honor since its inception on 1983.
Payton adds one final ingredient to his game — experience on the international hardcourt. A member of the 1987 USA Basketball Junior World Championship team that earned a silver medal, he also collected a silver medal in 1989 as a member of the USA World Championship Qualifying team that qualified the United States for the 1990 World Championship.
After his sophomore season at Oregon State, he participated in the 1988 Olympic Team Trials participant but did not make the U.S. squad. Now, following Glenn Robinson's withdraw from the team because of his injury, Gary was named to the 1996 Dream Team on June 27 and his Olympic Dream was realized. Things just keep getting better for Gary Patton.
