Gary Payton has had to face the life of an NBA dad, and that means learning how to manage expectations, temper his instincts, take a back seat, and be there for the highs and lows of a professional career.
But for GP, this next chapter — watching his son Gary Payton II carve out a name of his own — turned out to be even more emotional than his own storied ride.
Winning on the biggest stage
When the younger Payton lifted the Larry O’Brien trophy in 2022 with the Golden State Warriors, it was emotional. A release of everything he’d carried since he left college. A victory for every 10-day contract, every G League bus ride, every time a front office decided he wasn’t worth keeping. It was basketball justice.
“All he did for six years, struggling the way he’s struggled and everybody cutting him and not giving him the opportunity — and he comes in and play big like this,” said the father. “I think this is for him. I think this is more satisfying for him… I’m just really proud of him right now.”
Before that 2022 title, the younger Payton had been released by NBA teams four times. That’s four times packing bags. Four times adjusting to disappointment. He spent five seasons in the G League, waiting for a shot that never fully came. Even in 2021, just months before his breakout, he heard whispers that the Warriors were about to cut him. He could’ve walked away.
Instead, he pivoted. He told the team he wanted to stay. If not as a player, then as a video coordinator. Just give him a chair in the room and a chance to stay close to the game. But the Warriors held that final roster spot just long enough. They signed him to the 15th and final slot — one that would pay off in ways nobody predicted.
In the 2022 NBA Finals, Gary Payton II showed up when it mattered most. In Game 5, he scored 15 points, grabbed five boards, and racked up three steals in a 104–94 win over the Boston Celtics. Golden State wrapped it up in Game 6, and for the first time, the Payton name was associated with a championship-winning roster.
Payton’s joy
Payton senior knows what it’s like to lose when the lights are brightest. His Seattle SuperSonics ran into Michael Jordan and the Chicago Bulls in the 1996 NBA Finals. He was in his prime, leading a 64-win team, but it wasn’t enough. A decade later, in 2006, he finally got his ring as a veteran contributor with the Miami Heat. It was validation, but not quite the fairy tale. That’s why 2022 hit differently.
This time, he wasn’t the one sweating through double teams or shouting at referees. He wasn’t game-planning or guarding point guards. He was in the crowd — watching, hoping, and living every moment through his son’s eyes.
“I’m just happy, the fact that I can see my kid do this and have fun, I’m just really happy,” he said.
The 2006 title was earned through a career of dominance, grit, and defiance. But his son’s journey was a reminder that resilience sometimes runs deeper than raw talent. And that victory came with a sweetness that no personal accolade can match. The Payton’s are one of five father-and-son duo to win a championship each.
Gary Payton II may never have the career accolades his father did. No Defensive Player of the Year trophies. No All-NBA teams. But he has a ring, and more importantly, he earned it through patience, perseverance, and the kind of hard-nosed grind that defined his father’s era.
