Is Gary Payton a NBA Champion?

Gary Payton is a former NBA champion who played for the Seattle Supersonics.

Gary Payton’s NBA Career

Gary Payton is a retired American professional basketball player. He is best known for his time with the Seattle SuperSonics, with whom he won an NBA Championship in 1996. Payton is also a nine-time NBA All-Star and a nine-time All-NBA defensive team member.

Drafted by the Seattle SuperSonics

Gary Dwayne Payton Jr. (born July 23, 1968) is an American former professional basketball player. He started his career in the National Basketball Association (NBA) with the Seattle SuperSonics, and played for the Milwaukee Bucks, Los Angeles Lakers, Boston Celtics, and Miami Heat. Known for his defensive prowess as “The Glove”,[1][2] Payton was selected to the NBA All-Defensive Teams nine times and led the league in steals eight times. He was also a nine-time NBA All-Star and a nine-time All-NBA Team member. His 16 NBA seasons rank third all-time for longevity among players who have spent their entire careers with only one franchise,[3] behind only John Stockton (19) and Kobe Bryant (20) of the Utah Jazz and Los Angeles Lakers, respectively.

Payton is widely considered one of the best point guards of all time.[4] He was inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in 2013.[5]

Traded to the Milwaukee Bucks

In February 2003, Payton was traded to the Milwaukee Bucks along with Desmond Mason in exchange for Ray Allen and Kevin Ollie. Payton helped lead the Bucks to the Eastern Conference Finals that season, where they lost to the New Jersey Nets in seven games. The following season, Payton and the Bucks again made it to the Eastern Conference Finals, this time losing to the eventual champion Detroit Pistons in six games.

Signed with the Los Angeles Lakers

On July 18, 2003, Payton signed a 3-year, $18.9 million contract with the Los Angeles Lakers. In his first season with the Lakers, he averaged 16.6 points and a team-high 7.2 assists per game, while shooting 43% from the field and 36% from three-point range. He helped the Lakers win their division for the first time in four years, and they went on to reach the NBA Finals, where they lost to the Detroit Pistons in five games.

Gary Payton’s NBA Championships

Gary Payton is a former professional basketball player who played for several teams throughout his career. He is best known for his time with the Seattle SuperSonics, where he won an NBA Championship in 1996. Payton also won an Olympic Gold Medal in 1996 and was inducted into the Basketball Hall of Fame in 2013.

Won with the Los Angeles Lakers in 2000

Gary Dwayne Payton (born July 23, 1968) is an American former professional basketball player. He started his career in the National Basketball Association (NBA) with the Seattle SuperSonics, and played for the SuperSonics until 2003. He then played with the Milwaukee Bucks, the Los Angeles Lakers, the Boston Celtics, and the Miami Heat.

Payton was born in Oakland, California. He attended Skyline High School in Oakland, and then he went to Oregon State University. He was selected by the Seattle SuperSonics with the second overall pick in the 1990 NBA draft.

In his first season with the team, Payton was named to the NBA All-Rookie First Team. He averaged 16 points per game that year. Payton continued to improve throughout his career and became one of the best point guards in the league. In 1996, he was named NBA Defensive Player of the Year.

In 2000, Payton won an NBA championship with the Lakers. This was his only championship win. He played for the Lakers until 2003 when he was traded to the Milwaukee Bucks.

Won with the Miami Heat in 2006

Payton did not win a championship until he was traded to the Miami Heat in 2005. He played a significant role in the Heat’s run to the 2006 NBA Finals, where they defeated the Dallas Mavericks in six games. In doing so, Payton became the first player to win an NBA championship with three different teams.

Gary Payton’s Legacy

Gary Payton is a former NBA player who is considered one of the greatest point guards of all time. He played for the Seattle SuperSonics for most of his career and was a nine-time NBA All-Star. He also won an Olympic gold medal in 1996. Payton is one of the few players to have won an NBA championship, an Olympic gold medal, and an NCAA championship.

First-team All-NBA selection nine times

Gary Dwayne Payton Sr. (born July 23, 1968) is an American former professional basketball player. He started his career in the National Basketball Association (NBA) with the Seattle SuperSonics, and played for the Milwaukee Bucks, Los Angeles Lakers, Boston Celtics, and Miami Heat. Known for his defensive abilities, Payton is considered one of the best point guards of all time and was inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in 2013. He was nicknamed “The Glove” for his excellent defensive abilities. He also was known as “The Natural”.

During his career, he made ten All-Star teams and nine All-NBA teams. His nine selections to the All-NBA first team are an NBA record at the point guard position. He also holds the record for defensive wins shares (DWS) in a season, and is one of two players to average at least 16 points, 7 assists and 2 steals per game in a career (the other being John Stockton). Payton is one of four players to average 20 points, 8 assists and 2 steals per game; he did this during three seasons from 1996 to 1999.

NBA Defensive Player of the Year in 1996

Gary Dwayne Payton Sr. (born July 23, 1968) is an American former professional basketball player. He started his career in the National Basketball Association (NBA) with the Seattle SuperSonics, and played for the Milwaukee Bucks, Los Angeles Lakers, Boston Celtics, Atlanta Hawks, Miami Heat and the Phoenix Suns. He also played professionally for BC Žalgiris of Lithuania in 2011 as well as Žalgiris’ senior team in 2014. Known for his defensive ability, Payton is considered one of the greatest point guards of all time and was nicknamed “The Glove” for his ability to disrupt opponents’ offensive plays. He was inducted into the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame on September 8, 2013.

Payton won a gold medal in the 1996 Summer Olympics as part of Team USA basketball. He was also selected to nine NBA All-Star teams (seven times to the All-Defensive teams), and was the NBA Defensive Player of the Year in 1996. Highly competitive on both ends of the floor, Payton is one of only two players (the other being Stacey Augmon) to have won an NCAA championship, an NBA championship and an Olympic gold medal.[3] He is one of four NBA players with more than 15,000 career points and 9,000 career assists; he currently ranks 21st on both lists.[4]

NBA All-Star Game MVP in 1993

Gary Dwayne Payton (born July 23, 1968) is an American former professional basketball player. He started his career in the NBA with the Seattle SuperSonics, and spent the majority of his career with them until he was traded to the Milwaukee Bucks at the 2002–03 NBA trade deadline. His best year as a professional came in 1999, when he earned both the NBA Defensive Player of the Year Award and the NBA Most Valuable Player Award, and led his team to the NBA Finals. Payton is one of only nine players (along with Michael Jordan, Hakeem Olajuwon, Tim Duncan, Kobe Bryant, Dirk Nowitzki, LeBron James, Kevin Durant, and Stephen Curry) to win an NBA Championship and an Olympic gold medal in his career. He was inducted into the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame on September 8, 2013.