Introduction
Gary Payton II is a professional basketball player who currently plays for the Washington Wizards in the NBA. He was born on December 1, 1992, in Seattle, Washington, and is the son of former NBA player Gary Payton. Payton II played college basketball at Oregon State University and has since played in the NBA, G League, and overseas. In this article, we will take a closer look at the stats and career of Gary Payton II.
College Career
Payton II played college basketball at Oregon State University from 2013 to 2016. During his time there, he averaged 10.2 points, 7.0 rebounds, 3.1 assists, and 2.5 steals per game. He was named the Pac-12 Conference Defensive Player of the Year in both his junior and senior seasons. Payton II also became the first player in Pac-12 history to record a triple-double in three different seasons.
NBA and G League Career
Payton II went undrafted in the 2016 NBA draft but signed with the Houston Rockets for the 2016-17 season. He played in 18 games for the Rockets and averaged 3.3 points, 2.2 rebounds, and 1.2 assists per game. Payton II has also played for the Milwaukee Bucks, Los Angeles Lakers, and Washington Wizards in the NBA. He has also played for several G League teams, including the Rio Grande Valley Vipers, South Bay Lakers, and Raptors 905.
Overseas Career
Payton II has also played overseas during his career. In the 2017-18 season, he played for the KK Cedevita Zagreb in Croatia and helped lead the team to the Croatian League championship. He also played for the TNT KaTropa in the Philippine Basketball Association in 2019.
Stats
Here are some of Payton II’s career stats as of the end of the 2020-21 NBA season:
- Points per game: 4.0
- Rebounds per game: 2.9
- Assists per game: 1.6
- Steals per game: 1.1
- Blocks per game: 0.3
- Field goal percentage: 42.0%
- Three-point percentage: 28.4%
- Free throw percentage: 68.6%
Conclusion
Gary Payton II has had a varied career in basketball, playing in the NBA, G League, and overseas. He has shown himself to be a strong defender and has had some notable performances throughout his career. Although he is not yet a star player, he has the potential to continue to improve and make an impact in the future.
