Gary Payton II currently plays for the Golden State Warriors as a backup guard to Steph Curry. He is one of the better perimeter defenders in the NBA today and was an essential rotational player in the 2022 Warriors’ NBA championship. He is the son of Hall of Famer, Gary Payton, who was also known for his elite defense and athleticism. While his son has not been a better player than he was, Payton is still an effective player who can be of great assistance to a championship-contending team.
Apart from Payton’s elite defense, he can also shoot the three. In a recent game against the San Antonio Spurs, Payton blocked Victor Wembanyama’s shot, making him the shortest NBA player to block Wemby’s shot. Payton and Wiggins are arguably the key players for the Warriors to win another championship.
He adds great value to the team but struggles with a lot of injuries. While his defensive skills are there, his offense requires more consistency from the mid-range and the three-point area. Payton was undrafted in 2016. He first signed with the Houston Rockets but was waived by the team after playing six pre-season games. Later, he signed with the Milwaukee Bucks but was waived by the team.
Payton once scored 15 points in Game 5 of the 2022 NBA finals. He helped the Warriors win the series by playing a major defensive role in Game 6 of the finals. Gary Payton and his son are only the fifth father-son duo to win an NBA championship.
Gary Payton II Height
Payton is 6 feet 2 inches tall. While he is not the tallest player in the league, it seems he has no problem with his height. He is a versatile player who can switch from 1 to 4 and can play as the point guard, shooting guard, and small forward. Night in and night out, he is assigned to guard the best offensive players in the NBA and has no problems in doing so.
He is a 6’2 guard with a 6 feet 8-inch wingspan. He uses his length to his advantage by ripping the ball away from the players and is elite in doing so. He can also block shots with perfect timing and part of it is because of his long arms.
Payton is overall a great role player who helps the Warriors tremendously with his defensive skill set. He struggled a lot with finding a team to play for in the NBA. He has bounced in and out of the league multiple times but remained patient until the Warriors signed him.
This season Payton is averaging 5.9 points, 3.1 rebounds, and 1.2 steals per game while shooting at 47.9 percent from the field and 32.1 percent from three-point range. The Warriors are currently struggling to win games and Payton is out with a calf Injury.
FAQs
A. Gary Payton II attended Spring Valley High School in Las Vegas, Nevada, and Westwind Preparatory Academy in Phoenix, Arizona.
A. Gary Payton II went Undrafted in 2016.
A. Gary Payton II is from Seattle, Washington, United States
A. Gary Payton II was born on December 1, 1992.
A. Payton can play the Point guard, shooting guard, or small forward spots for the Golden State Warriors.