Gary Payton II, an American Shooting guard, is a professional basketball player for the Golden State Warriors in the NBA. He is currently in his 5th season and was part of the Warriors’ NBA Championship team in 2022. His father is the legendary Gary Payton, a Hall of Famer.
Gary Payton II Bio Summary
Full name: Gary Dwayne Payton II
Date of birth: December 1, 1992
Age: 30 years
Nationality: American
Height: 6 ft 3 in
Weight: 88 kg
Draft: 2016
Role: Point Guard
Past Team(s): Milwaukee Bucks, Washington Wizards, and Los Angeles Lakers
Debut: October 26, 2016
Nickname: Young Glove
Early Life
Born on December 1, 1992, to Monique and Gary Payton, Gary Payton II is a native of Seattle. However, his parents divorced at a later date. His father, a renowned NBA player and Hall of Famer, had played for the Seattle SuperSonics. He also has two siblings, Julian and Raquel.
His father, Gary Payton, was widely considered one of the greatest point guards in NBA history. He spent 13 seasons with the Seattle Supersonics, during which he achieved the record for most steals and assists.
Additionally, Payton was a member of the Miami Heat, Boston Celtics, Milwaukee Bucks, and Los Angeles Lakers, and claimed the NBA Championship with the Heat in 2006. Furthermore, he was selected for the All-NBA Team nine times and was also recognized as an NBA All-Star.
Education
In 2011, Gary Payton II completed his studies at Spring Valley High School and earned awards in swimming and basketball for a single year. He then joined Westwind Preparatory Academy for the academic year of 2011-2012. He played two seasons for the Salt Lake Community College in Salt Lake City, Utah.
During his first year in college, he maintained an average of 9.4 points, 6.2 rebounds, 3.7 assists, and 1.9 steals per game (2012-13) and successfully guided his team to victory in the Region 18 Championship and SWAC title in 2013.
During his second year, he was selected for the Second Team of the NJCAA Division I All-Americans, having maintained an average of 14.1 points, 7.9 rebounds, 3.8 assists, and 1.9 steals per game.
NBA Career
In the 2016 NBA Draft, Payton II did not get selected. However, he eventually joined the Milwaukee Bucks and during his first game against the Denver Nuggets, he managed to score 5 points in nine minutes.
In 2018, he entered into a two-way agreement with the LA Lakers. In the final game of the season, Payton achieved his highest career score of 25 points and also grabbed a career-best of 12 rebounds while playing against the Los Angeles Clippers.
After his stints with the Washington Wizards and South Bay Lakers, he was selected as the 15th overall pick by the Raptors 905 in the 2021 NBA G League draft. During the season, he recorded an average of 10.8 points, 5.6 rebounds, 2.6 assists, and 2.54 steals per game, ultimately earning him the NBA Defensive Player of the Year award in the NBA G League in 2021.
He joined the Warriors on May 16 for the rest of the current season and the following one, during which he achieved his first NBA championship in 2021. Payton inked a deal worth $28 million for three years with the Portland Trail Blazers on July 6, 2022. However, he was later traded back to the Golden State Warriors in February 2023.
Net Worth
The Golden State Warriors point guard, standing at 6 feet 4 inches, has an estimated wealth of approximately $5 million. On April 8, 2021, Payton signed a 10-day contract with the Golden State Warriors.
After accepting a second 10-day contract on April 19, Gary Payton II went on to sign a new agreement on May 16 that covered the remainder of the current season and the entirety of the following one. He has previously played for the Los Angeles Lakers, Washington Wizards, Milwaukee Bucks, and Golden State Warriors, earning his first NBA championship with the latter team.
