Gary Payton
American basketball player (born 1968)
Who was Gary Payton?
Gary Dwayne Payton Sr. (born July 23, 1968) is an American former professional basketball player who played in the National Basketball Association (NBA) for 17 seasons. Gary Dwayne Payton was born on July 23, 1968, in Oakland, California. He spent the majority of his career with the Seattle SuperSonics, where he holds franchise records in assists and steals, and later played short stints for the Milwaukee Bucks, Los Angeles Lakers, Boston Celtics, and Miami Heat. He made three NBA Finals appearances: with the Sonics in 1996, the Lakers in 2004, and the Heat in 2006, winning in the last.
Historical significance
Nicknamed "the Glove" for his defensive abilities, he is widely regarded as one of the greatest point guards of all time. Payton was the first (and, until Marcus Smart was selected in 2022, only) point guard to win the NBA Defensive Player of the Year award. He was selected for nine All-NBA Teams, All-Defensive First Teams (tying the record), and All-Star Games each. He was inducted into the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame in 2013 and named to the NBA 75th Anniversary Team in 2021.
