Gary Payton had a legendary playing career in the NBA. His 17-year playing career mostly saw him as a member of the Seattle SuperSonics, but he also played for the Milwaukee Bucks, Los Angeles Lakers, Boston Celtics, and Miami Heat. The six-foot-four point guard currently ranks fifth all-time in steals (2,445), 11th in assists (8,966), and 38th in points (21,813). His son Gary Payton II is playing for the Golden State Warriors and will be entering his ninth season in the NBA.
The elder Payton won a championship with the Heat against the Dallas Mavericks in 2006. He also reached the NBA Finals with Seattle in 1996 against Michael Jordan’s Chicago Bulls. Payton was the first point guard to be named Defensive Player of the Year in 1995-96. He remained the only one until Marcus Smart received the award in the 2021-22 season. His defensive prowess led to his well-known nickname of “The Glove”. Payton was named to the NBA’s 75th Anniversary Team in 2021 as one of the league’s best 75 players of all-time. The nine-time All-NBA and nine-time All-Defensive standout was inducted into the Basketball Hall of Fame in 2013.
After his playing career was finished, Payton first got into announcing and has since gone into the coaching realm. On Saturday, he landed his second college head coaching job in his home state of California. The news was first reported by Marc J. Spears of ESPN and Andscape.
Former #NBA star Gary Payton, Sr., is the new head men’s basketball for the College of Alameda, the school’s AD told @espn @andscape. https://t.co/WsV64gAxCs
— Marc J. Spears (@MarcJSpears) September 7, 2024
Basketball Hall Of Famer Lands College Head Coaching Job
Payton Coaching Near His Hometown Of Oakland
On Saturday, it was announced that the 56-year-old Payton will become the next head coach at the College of Alameda for the upcoming college basketball season. The school is a community college in Alameda, California. Playing in the California Community College Athletic Association (CCCAA), the College of Alameda finished with a 7-21 record last season, a record that Payton is hoping to see improve.
Previously, Payton spent the previous three seasons as the head coach for Lincoln University. The partnership did not end on good terms as Payton had numerous negative things to say about the school before leaving. The school is based in Oakland, California which made for a disappointing homecoming for Payton as Oakland is his hometown. He was born in Oakland and went to high school in Oakland at Skyline High School (played collegiately at Oregon State).
Head Coach Of The Reigning BIG3 Champions
Payton hasn’t just been a head coach at the collegiate level after his playing career ended. He also has been roaming the sidelines in the BIG3. Payton has been a head coach in the league since its inception in 2017. From 2017-2021, he was the head coach for the Three-Headed Monsters. He led the Three-Headed Monsters to the championship game in the inaugural season. For the last three seasons, Payton has been the head coach for Bivouac in the BIG3.
Last season, Payton was named the BIG3 Coach of the Year. More importantly, he helped guide Bivouac to a championship season. The team featured former NBA players in Gerald Green and Corey Brewer.
