Payton was drafted out of Oregon State with the second pick
by the Sonics. He was the leading scorer in school history and posted
the sixth highest career assists total and seventh best all-time steals
total in NCAA history. He was named Sports Illustrated Player of the Year
as a senior, as well as being a Consensus first team All-American. This
all-star point guard of the Seattle Super Sonics had a slow start to his
NBA career, but he was still named to the All-Rookie Second Team. He
matured slowly, but has ripened to perfection, living up to his hype and
potential the last couple of years becoming a fixture at the all-star game
and one of the league's best point guards. Gary started the 1997 all-star
game along with teammate Shawn Kemp. Gary was
the leading vote getter along Western Conference guards with 1,206,539.
In 1998 Payton once again started for the second straight year, in his
fifth appearance overall. He followed that up with some reserve
appearances with his eight visti in 2002. Payton was named the 1996
Defensive Player of
the Year. Every year since the 1993-94 season, Gary has been a member of
the NBA All-Defensive First team. He was once again on the
All-Defensive First Team in 2002. He led the NBA in steals in 1995-96
with a career high 231 (2.85 per game). Gary had been named to the
All-NBA Second Team for 3 years (1995-1997). In 1998 he finally stepped
up a level, being selected to the All-NBA First Team. He was back
on the All-NBA Second Team again in 1999, being displaced by Jason
Kidd who had a phenomenal year. In 2000, Payton joined Kidd on the
All-NBA First Team, but slipped to the All-NBA Third Team in
2001. He moved up a knotch in 2002 to the All-NBA Second Team. Payton
was named as a replacement to
Glenn Robinson on Dream Team III after leading the Sonics to the 1996 NBA
Finals. He was also named to the Olympic Team in 2000. Gary had a great
end of March in 1996, posting a career high 38 points against Sacramento
(3/24/96) and a career high 17 assists against Charlotte (3/27/96). He
signed a 7 year 85 million dollar contract to stay in Seattle prior to the
1996-97 season. Although Gary's performance was up to his usual high
level, his Sonics failed to make the playoffs in 1999. On February 20, 2003,
Seattle trade Gary Payton, along with Desmond Mason to Milwaukee for
Ray Allen, Kevin Ollie, Ronald Murray and a conditional
first round pick. This trade reunited Payton with his long-time coach, George Karl. On July 16, 2003, the first day teams could sign free agents, the LA Lakers signed Gary to a 2 year, $10,325,700 contract. The 2nd year is at Payton's option. The Lakers used the mid-level exception ($4.91 million) to sign Payton. On August 6, 2004, Boston traded Chris Mihm Chucky Atkins and
Jumaine Jones to the LA Lakers for Gary Payton, Rick Fox, a 1st round draft pick, and $2 million. On February 24, 2005 Atlanta traded Antoine Walker to Boston for Gary Payton, Tom
Gugliotta, Michael Stewart, and a 1st round draft pick in 2005 or 2006. On September 6, 2006 Miami re-signed Gary to a one year minimum contract.
| PPG | RPG | APG | StlPG | |
| College | 18.1 | 4.0 | 7.8 | 2.7 |
| Rookie | 7.2 | 3.0 | 6.4 | 2.0 |
| 1991-92 | 9.4 | 3.6 | 6.2 | 1.8 |
| 1992-93 | 13.5 | 3.4 | 4.9 | 2.2 |
| 1993-94 | 16.5 | 3.3 | 6.0 | 2.3 |
| 1994-95 | 20.6 | 3.4 | 7.1 | 2.5 |
| 1995-96 | 19.3 | 4.2 | 7.5 | 2.9 |
| 1996-97 | 21.8 | 4.6 | 7.1 | 2.4 |
| 1997-98 | 19.2 | 4.6 | 8.3 | 2.3 |
| 1998-99 | 21.7 | 4.9 | 8.7 | 2.2 |
| 1999-00 | 24.2 | 6.5 | 8.9 | 1.9 |
| 2000-01 | 23.1 | 4.6 | 8.1 | 1.6 |
| 2001-02 | 22.1 | 4.8 | 9.0 | 1.6 |
| 2002-03 | 20.4 | 4.2 | 8.3 | 1.7 |
| 2003-04 | 18.0 | 4.2 | 5.5 | 1.2 |
| Career (thru '04) | 18.0 | 4.2 | 7.2 | 2.0 |
  LA Lakers History in the Making at Allposters.com |
Gary Payton as a Laker Buy This Poster At AllPosters.com |
Gary Payton as a Sonic Buy This Poster At AllPosters.com |
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