G League Alum Gary Payton II Rises As Unsung Hero In NBA Finals
Already an NBA G League champion and Defensive Player of the Year award winner, Gary Payton II's latest contributions are helping he and the Golden State Warriors inch closer to an NBA title.
The Golden State Warriors are now one win away from a championship victory. The team’s Game 5 win on Monday night featured former No.1 overall pick Andrew Wiggins continuing to make a defiant case for an NBA Finals MVP award, all while inching closer to tasting that championship glory alongside (at least) three future Hall of Famers in Stephen Curry, Klay Thompson, and Draymond Green. Wiggins was a first time NBA All-Star this season, and the latter three clearly have impressive resumes that help them stand tall as some of the most memorable players this game has ever seen.
But wouldn’t you know it, as Golden State stuck out its tongue to bask in this most recent taste of victory, it was none other than NBA G League alum Gary Payton II who served as a Game 5 X-Factor to help his team bridge the gap.
Since returning from a severe elbow injury (suffered in early May) that easily could have ended his season, Payton II’s presence in these finals has been nothing short of heroic. He’s been an unsung hero, and should the Warriors go on to win it all, his latest performance will have gone a long way toward cementing a special place in team history. The guard chipped in 15 points and 5 rebounds off the bench, also coming up with a team-high 3 steals and boasting a team-best plus/minus of +16.
He became just the fifth Warrior to amass 15 points and 3 steals in an NBA Finals game.
Such a poised performance is indicative of a seasoned pro who has been on such an elevated stage before. But alas, though the 29 year old has experience to speak of, this is his first chance to really shine on the platform he deserves and many others still covet.
Before catching on with Golden State, Payton II appeared in 128 minor league contests over the course of five seasons after going undrafted in 2016. He suited up for five teams, three of which for whom he had multiple stints. Owning career NBA G League averages of 15.7 points, 7 rebounds, 4.5 assists and 2.4 steals, his impact across the board was evident. Upon review of his highlights, it’s easy to see Payton II’s high-flying athleticism and flare for dramatic acrobatics presented him as something of an awing human highlight reel.
If the Warriors win the championship this season, it won’t be the first piece of hardware Payton II adds to his trophy case.
Payton II could join a growing list (that currently includes the likes of Pascal Siakam and Fred VanVleet) of dual NBA / G League champions. The guard helped the RGV Vipers win the 2019 NBA G League title alongside fellow future NBA players Isaiah Hartenstein and Gary Clark.
Playing in the NBA G League bubble, he won the 2021 NBA G League Defensive Player of the Year award after leading the league with 2.5 steals per game for the Raptors 905.
The guard emerged as a two-time Pac-12 Defensive Player of the Year (in 2015 and 2016, respectively) playing collegiately at Oregon State.
Most recently, Payton II took his wins off the court, being awarded the 2022 NBA Community Assist Award.
All told, Payton II is a winner and it’s obvious how and why he feels right at home with the Warriors. In addition to sharing an unique bond with Stephen Curry (as the son of Hall of Famer Gary Payton, the 29 year old too knows what it’s like to grow up under the bright lights), Payton II isn’t afraid to get down and dirty — even if that means diving for loose balls, leaping into the air to impact an opposing shot attempt, or by working up quite a sweat chasing his man up and down the court.
As mentioned, Payton II can ignite the crowd with ease by finishing some eye-popping dunks and during the regular season, he absolutely did that. But as the Warriors earned another necessary win en route to securing the ultimate prize, this pesky defender could be found applying ample pressure and on the flip side, making the right cuts on offense so that he could cash in on sweet passes from teammates and get easy looks inside.
Speaking of cuts, Payton II has been passed over by too many NBA teams to count, including at the beginning of this season when Golden State had to briefly let him go after training camp. Each and every team had a chance to reel him in, but now he’s making key contributions for a team on the cusp of a championship.
Prior to this season, the man otherwise known as “Young Glove” appeared in 71 NBA games with four teams over five seasons. In 2021-22 alone, he doubled that, playing in another 71 (all with Golden State), averaging 7.1 points and 1.4 steals. Some may say he found a home, but at the very least, he found a steady proving ground.
Come this offseason, Payton II will be in line for a big pay day as a free agent, and it’s highly likely most of the teams that chose not to give him a second look before will be blowing up his phone hoping for a chance at redemption. Cheers to another NBA G League alum making his mark.