Gary Payton
(Born 1968)
Hall of Fame Induction: 2013
Card Shown:
2014-15 Panini Flawless
Hall of Fame
Position: PG
Height: 6’4″
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Gary Payton, “The Glove,” is known as the best defensive point guard of all time. He was a tough, trash-talking, in-your-face player who gave it his all on the court. At Oregon State, Gary was named First Team All-America in 1989-90. Early in his NBA career, Payton teamed with Shawn Kemp to lead the Seattle Supersonics to the NBA Finals. He later reached the NBA Finals with the Los Angeles Lakers before finally winning a title near the end of his career with the Miami Heat.
Payton was a versatile player who finished in the NBA’s top ten in points per game three times, top ten in assists per game seven times, and top ten in steals per game eight times. Gary was an iron man, playing heavy minutes and missing very few games during his professional basketball career.
Awards and Honors
- Payton was a nine-time NBA All-Star selection during his seventeen-year NBA career.
- In 1995-96, Gary was selected the NBA Defensive Player of the Year, becoming the first point guard to receive this award. For nine consecutive seasons, from 1993-94 through 2001-02, Payton was honored with an NBA All-Defensive First Team selection.
- Gary was named to the NBA All-Rookie Second Team in 1990-91. Over the course of his career, he was selected All-NBA First Team twice, All-NBA Second Team five times, and All-NBA Third Team twice.
- In 2006, Payton teamed with Shaquille O’Neal, Dwayne Wade, and Alonzo Mourning to win the NBA championship, the first in the history of the Miami Heat. Ten years earlier, Gary and Shawn Kemp had led the Seattle Supersonics to the NBA Finals, where they lost in six games to Michael Jordan and the Chicago Bulls.
- Payton won a gold medal with the USA Olympic team in Sydney, Australia in 2000.
Points of Interest
- Gary was a tremendously durable player, missing only five games in twelve seasons with Seattle and only 25 games in seventeen seasons of NBA play. Payton played over 4o minutes per game in five straight seasons with Seattle.
- In 1995-96, Gary led the league with 231 steals and 2.9 steals per game.
- In 2003-04, Payton and Karl Malone joined the Los Angeles Lakers duo of Shaquille O’Neal and Kobe Bryant in pursuit of an NBA championship. This foursome, creating one of the greatest starting lineups in basketball history, fell just short of their goal. Hindered by an injury to Malone, the Lakers lost to the Detroit Pistons in five games in the NBA Finals.
- Payton finished his NBA career with averages of 16.3 points, 6.7 assists, and 3.9 rebounds per game.
- Gary selected George Gervin (his boyhood hero) and John Stockton (a fellow point guard who he deeply respected) to present him at his Hall of Fame enshrinement speech.
Statistics
Gary Payton Statistics
provided by Basketball-Reference.com
Personal Autograph Interactions
At the 2020 Hall of Fame Induction weekend we saw Gary entering the Awards Gala. We were in the stands that bordered the entrance and called him over to sign for us. Payton signed my 2012-13 Panini Signatures Legends card and signed two cards for Joshua.
At the 2023 Hall of Fame Induction weekend, Payton participated in the autograph signing at the Hall of Fame museum. He signed the 2002-03 Upper Deck Sweet Shot card, and at my request, added the inscription “The Glove” to the card. Gary seems to be a willing signer for his fans at Hall of Fame events.
Thank you, Gary!
In-Person Autograph Photos
