Gary Payton II follows in the wake of his father Gary Payton (saving the distance) and wins the award for Best Defensive Player in the G League for the 2020-21 season.
26 years after his father got it in the NBA, Payton II has prevailed in the votes wearing the Raptors 905 jersey. His figures have been 10.8 points, 5.6 rebounds, 2.6 assists and 2 , 5 robberies per day. In addition, the Canadian team closed the regular season with the best record in the league, although they fell in the semifinals for the title.
Payton II, who has an NBA past wearing the Milwaukee Bucks, Lakers and Washington Wizards jersey, was also the best thief of the previous season with 2.96 steals per game.
‘The Glove’
Gary Payton Sr. was nicknamed ‘The Glove’ for his defensive skills. Some skills that marked his sports career in the NBA. Oakland’s natural point guard landed in the league in 2nd place in the 1990 Draft, being chosen by the defunct Seattle Supersonics.
In the Washington State franchise, he spent his first 13 years to later wear the Bucks, Lakers, Celtics and Heat shirt, where he would achieve the long-awaited ring in 2006 alongside Shaquille O’Neal and an emerging Dwyane Wade.
Among his many accolades, in addition to the champion ring, stand out his 9-time All-Star selection; 2 times Best NBA Team; 5 times in the NBA Second Best Team and 2 times in the Third Best Team; Defender of the Year in 1996; and nine times included in the Best Defensive Team in the league. Likewise, with the national team he has two Olympic golds (1996 and 2000) and a FIBA Americas championship (1999).
His figures in the league closed with 16.3 points, 3.9 rebounds, 6.7 assists and 1.8 steals in 1,335 official games (1,233 as a starter).
(Cover photo: Patrick Smith / Getty Images)
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