GARYPAYTON
MIAMI HEATGary Payton — NBA champion, Defensive Player of the Year, 9× All-Star, "The Glove." Career stats, bio and legacy of the Seattle SuperSonics' defensive icon.
1×NBA CHAMPION
9×ALL-STARGary Payton biography — NBA career story, legacy, championships, awards and personal background.
Career timeline, milestones, and place among all-time greats.
He was called "The Glove" because that's exactly how he defended — like a second skin on whoever he was guarding. Born July 23, 1968, in Oakland, California. Height 6 ft 4 in (193 cm).
Payton played college basketball at Oregon State (1986–1990), earning Pac-10 Player of the Year honors as a senior. Drafted 2nd overall by the Seattle SuperSonics in 1990, he anchored the franchise for 13 seasons before finishing his 17-year career with stints for the Milwaukee Bucks, Los Angeles Lakers, Boston Celtics, and Miami Heat, winning his only NBA championship with the Heat in 2006.
He remains the only point guard ever named NBA Defensive Player of the Year (1996), a title he shares in company but not in position. A nine-time All-Star, he tied a since-broken record with nine consecutive All-Defensive First Team selections and made the All-NBA First Team twice.
Career totals: 21,813 points (16.3 ppg), 8,966 assists (6.7 apg), 5,269 rebounds (3.9 rpg) over 17 seasons. He won an Olympic gold medal with Team USA in 1996.
Named to the NBA 75th Anniversary Team. Inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in 2013.
Gary Payton quick facts — Height 6'4. 16.3 PPG career average. Championship years: 2006.
Height, weight, draft year, and years in the league.
Gary Payton awards and honors — Championship years: 2006.
Major individual and team accolades with seasons won.
9x
9x
9x
Gary Payton career statistics summary — 16.3 PPG career average.
Regular-season averages and totals across the full NBA career.
Gary Payton career highs — best single-game performances in points, rebounds, assists and more.
Personal records with dates and opponents.
vs MIN
vs SAS
vs HOU
vs SEA
vs SEA
vs SEA
Gary Payton advanced stats — PER, win shares, BPM and overall impact metrics.
Impact measured beyond traditional box score statistics.
Gary Payton playoff stats — postseason points, rebounds, assists and games played.
Postseason production across every playoff run.
Gary Payton All-Star Game stats — appearances, minutes and showcase performance.
Mid-season exhibition stats across every All-Star selection.
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→Gary Payton NBA transactions — trades, signings and team changes by date.
Team moves and dates across every NBA stop.
FAQ about Gary Payton — rings, MVP awards, career stats, height.
Answers to the most searched questions about championships and career honors.
Gary Payton averaged 16.3 points, 3.9 rebounds, 6.7 assists per game in the regular season.
Gary Payton salary history — Career salary $104,367,619.
Year-by-year compensation across the professional career.
Gary Payton filmography — movies, documentaries and on-screen basketball roles.
Theatrical releases and documentary appearances.
Players similar to Gary Payton — statistical peers by position, peak seasons and career arc.
All-time comparisons with the closest playing profile.
NoteThe club shown in the profile isn't necessarily the player's last team, but the one he's most associated with and that defined his career. See the full team history in the Transactions section.