American · Oakland, California · Born 23 July 1968The Glove — the greatest defensive point guard in NBA history and the voice of the Seattle SuperSonics.
Gary Dwayne Payton was born in Oakland, California in 1968. Seattle SuperSonics selected him second overall in the 1990 NBA Draft after four years at Oregon State. His 17-season career produced nine All-Star appearances, the Defensive Player of the Year award in 1996 and an NBA championship with the Miami Heat in 2006. He averaged 16.3 points and 6.7 assists per game across his career. His nickname The Glove was given by teammate Shawn Kemp because of his ability to lock opponents — he picked his hand like a glove. He was the only point guard in NBA history to win the Defensive Player of the Year award. He was named to the All-NBA Defensive First Team nine consecutive times from 1994 to 2002 — the longest such streak by a point guard in NBA history. He led the Seattle SuperSonics to the NBA Finals in 1996, losing to Michael Jordan's Chicago Bulls in six games. He won Olympic gold with the USA in 1996. He was inducted into the Basketball Hall of Fame in 2013. His trash talk — constant, inventive and legendary — was as famous as his defence. He later became a prominent figure in basketball through his son Gary Payton II, who won championships with Golden State.
Elite defensive point guard known as 'The Glove'
How They Played
Lockdown defender with exceptional court vision, trash-talking floor general
Lasting Impact
One of the greatest defensive players in NBA history and one of only two point guards to win Defensive Player of the Year
Career Honours
- NBA Champion (2006)
- Defensive Player of the Year (1996)
- All-Star 9x
- All-NBA First Team 2x
- Olympic Gold Medal
| Club | Period | Apps |
|---|---|---|
| Seattle SuperSonics | 1990–2003 | 999 |
| Los Angeles Lakers | 2003–2004 | 82 |
| Boston Celtics | 2004–2005 | 77 |
| Miami Heat | 2005–2007 | 164 |
American Athletes