25 Facts About Gary Payton

1. Gary Payton stated when the NBA comes back to Seattle he wants to be part of the team so it won't be relocated again.

2. Gary Payton is currently working on bringing the NBA back to Seattle.

3. Gary Payton is featured in the documentary Sonicsgate, which covers the team's relocation from Seattle to Oklahoma City.

4. Gary Payton wishes instead for it to remain in Seattle, where he enjoyed the majority of his career's success and popularity.

5. Gary Payton hosted a radio show in early 1998 on Seattle's KUBE 93.3 station.

6. In 2001, Gary Payton donated $100,000 to renovate EOYDC's gym—his first big grant in his hometown of Oakland.

7. Gary Payton hosts an annual charity basketball game as part of his foundation.

8. Gary Payton set up The Gary Payton Foundation in 1996 to provide safe places for recreational activity, and to help underprivileged youth in his hometown of Oakland stay in school.

9. Gary Payton has made numerous well-regarded contributions of both time and money to the community.

10. Gary Payton has appeared in White Men Can't Jump, Eddie (1996), Like Mike, and performed a speaking role in the 1999 comedy film The Breaks.

11. In 2013, Gary Payton was named an analyst for Fox Sports 1's Fox Sports Live.

12. Gary Payton views the [young Payton] as impudent, and he would love to have a big game at [Payton's] expense.

13. Gary Payton is the only guard to have won the NBA Defensive Player of the Year award since Michael Jordan in 1988.

14. Gary Payton has appeared in many movies and television shows, and in 2001, gave a humorous, televised "motivational speech" to his team during the NBA All-Star Game.

15. On September 6, 2006, the 38-year-old Gary Payton re-signed with the defending champion Miami Heat on a one-year, $1.2 million contract.

16. In game 5, Gary Payton scored 8 points, including Miami's final field goal with 29 seconds left, to help clinch a one-point victory.

17. On February 24, 2005 Gary Payton was traded to the Atlanta Hawks in a deal that brought former Celtic Antoine Walker back to Boston.

18. Gary Payton was a member of the gold medal-winning 1996 and 2000 US Men's Olympic Basketball Teams.

19. Gary Payton was selected to the NBA All-Defensive First Team a record nine consecutive seasons, and won the NBA Defensive Player of the Year Award in 1996, the first guard to win the award in 8 years.

20. Gary Payton earned his first of 9 consecutive All-NBA team selections when he was chosen to the All-NBA Third team in 1994.

21. Gary Payton was the second overall pick in the 1990 NBA draft by the Seattle SuperSonics, and spent his first 12½ seasons with the Sonics.

22. Gary Payton was the MVP of the Far West Classic tournament three times and was the Pac-10 Player of the Week nine times.

23. Gary Payton was a consensus All-American in 1990, a three-time All-Pac-10 selection, and both the Pac-10 Defensive Player of the Year and conference Freshman of the Year in 1987.

24. Gary Payton was inducted into the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame on September 8, 2013.

25. Gary Payton was nicknamed "The Glove" for his excellent defensive abilities.