Gary Payton II jumped onto the scene this season and may be on his way to the NBA
The name should sound familiar. Gary Payton II is the son of Hall-of-Famer Gary Payton. “The Glove” is widely considered one of the best defensive point guards in NBA history and spent most of his career with the Seattle Supersonics. Before the NBA, Payton played four seasons at Oregon State before being the second overall selection in the 1990 NBA Draft.
His son won’t even be picked that high in the second round, however, Payton II finished his career at Oregon State too. Payton II played his first two seasons at Salt Lake Community College before transferring to play for the Beavers for his final two seasons. He wasn’t able to get much exposure when at community college so he’s not a household name, yet. He is also 23-years-old so he doesn’t have the appeal of a flashy 19-year-old.
Still, Payton II went to work right away at Oregon State last year. He started to get national attention, as a lot of people compared his playing style to his dads, but he really started appearing on people’s mock drafts during his senior season. While Payton II probably won’t end up in the Hall-of-Fame, like his dad, he could still be a defensive specialist off the bench, who can bring some offense.
Payton II showed a lot of potential on offense and defense during his two seasons at Oregon State. He’s considered one of the best defensive guards in the draft. He’s a 6’3″ point guard so he has good size, which helps him block and contest shots without fouling. During his junior year, Payton II averaged 1.2 blocks per game in 31 games. That went down to 0.5 blocks per contest this season, however, the ability to at least contest shots without fouling is something not seen in most point guards.
His size also gives him an edge on the glass, just like Terry Rozier. Payton II averaged an uncanny 7.7 rebounds per game over his two seasons at Oregon State, despite being a point guard. He was one of the best rebounding guards in the league and that should carry over to the NBA. He has an act for getting loose balls and is always in great positioning to get a board, which helps in fast break scenarios.
To go along with his shot-blocking ability and rebounding, Payton II has some of the quickest hands in the draft. He finished sixth in the NCAA this past season as he averaged 2.5 steals per game. Although, last season, he ranked second in college basketball as he committed 3.1 steals per contest. Not only is Payton II hard to drive on due to his quick hands, it’s hard to pass his man the ball as he’s always on top of him. You wouldn’t expect anything less from Gary Payton’s son.
Gary Payton II is a defensive gem, especially in the second round, however, his offense isn’t as effective or else he’d be a lottery selection. He’s not a bad offensive player but there are some kinks he needs to work out.
His 48.5 field-goal percentage isn’t too shabby for a guard. It’s that high because he rarely takes outside shots. After attempting three threes per game last season, Payton II only attempted 2.2 per game this year. He realized that it was hurting his team because he wasn’t connecting on enough. As a result, his three-point percentage went up to 31.4 percent – over two percent better.
Payton II still attempted 13.2 shots per game during his senior year, so it shows his ability to get into the lane and finish. He made a name for himself on offense for his ability to drive to the basket and finish or come off a screen and cut to the hoop. During his two seasons at Oregon State, Payton II shot 53.5 percent from inside the arc because he was able to get to the rim so often and dunk or get an alley-oop from a teammate. It shows how athletically gifted he is, which helps him on both sides.
One of the biggest improvements Payton II showed from his junior and senior season was his passing. He averaged five assists per game his senior year and was able to take control of the team. He became the Beavers go-to-guy as his usage rate went up to 25.6 percent.
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He isn’t going to be the next Rajon Rondo but he’s a smart player who doesn’t turn over the ball often – 2.3 turnovers per game last year. Just like Rozier was this season for the Boston Celtics, Payton II could run your offense for a little stretch to give the starters a breather and won’t give the other team extra possessions.
Besides his outside shooting, Payton II also needs to work on his free-throws. He shot a dreadful 65.2 percent from the line while at Oregon State. The more surprising statistic is that he attempted fewer than four free-throws per game each season despite getting to the basket often every game.
He took a different route than his dad and probably won’t be as dominating as he was in the NBA either. Gary Payton II could still end up being a good selection for a team who can use a defensive guard off the bench. He’ll likely make his living as a guy who can come in and provide great defense for a little stretch and can run a NBA offense without constant turnovers.
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He’s a lot older than most prospects in the draft but that shouldn’t make teams shy away from him in the second round. He’ll most likely never develop into a starter but he could end up being a solid backup point guard if he can develop any sort of shot. In a way he’s a poor man’s Marcus Smart and there will be teams who drool over his defensive and athletic ability.