5 Greatest Players in Oklahoma City Thunder/Seattle SuperSonics Franchise History

#1 Gary Payton

Gary was nicknamed "The Glove", for the incredibly close proximity that he maintained on defense.

Payton was the 2nd overall pick in the 1990 NBA Draft by the Seattle SuperSonics and went on to dedicate his first 12 and a half seasons to the Sonics.

Gary Payton was NBA's Defensive Player of the year in 1996, averaging an astounding 2.9 steals per game in the 1995-96 season. He led the league in steals in the very same season and became the only point guard in the league to win the NBA's Defensive Player of the Year award. He was a member of the NBA All-defensive First team for 9 years(1994-2002) in a row.

He stacked up a mammoth total of 2,445 steals and is currently ranked 4th on the all-time steals list. Payton's legacy at the Seattle SuperSonics remained devoid of a title, though led by Dwyane Wade and Payton’s contemporary Shaquille O’Neal, the Heat won the NBA title in 2006, giving Payton his one and only NBA Championship ring.

Gary Payton leads the OKC/Sonics franchise in games played, minutes played, points scored, field goals, assists and steals.

Payton was rightfully inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in 2013.