Gary Payton
Gary Dwayne Payton ( born July 23, 1968 in Oakland, California ) is a former American professional basketball player.
Payton in 1990 brought in second place of the draft by the Seattle SuperSonics in the NBA. The Sonics, where he played until 2003, spent the 1.93m point guard his best time. In the first year as a pro, he was appointed to the NBA All- Rookie Second Team. Together with the German Detlef Schrempf and the High Flyers Shawn Kemp Payton made one of the best trios in the league. Payton was one of the best defenders in the league, which is why he is also known by the nickname " The Glove " because he similarly closely and persistently defended his opponent as if they were enclosed in a glove. He played in 1996 his most successful season. Payton was selected this year for the best defenders in the league and was thus the first guard since Michael Jordan ( 1988), who received this award. In addition, he won the gold medal at the Olympic Games in Atlanta and led his Sonics to the finals of the NBA, where they met with the Chicago Bulls of Michael Jordan, who set an existing record for victories to date within a season this year. The final series lost Gary Payton and the Sonics 4-2 after games. Four years later, Payton should win his second gold medal at the Sydney Olympics in 2000.
As the success of the Sonics fell sharply a few years later, Payton thought public after more than a change. In February 2003, the Sonics gave their superstar in the direction of Milwaukee, because it was assumed that Payton would not be renewing his contract in the summer. But the team from Milwaukee also played not just successful, so Payton changed again after the season. He wanted to finally get his first NBA championship win and therefore moved to the Los Angeles Lakers superstar Shaquille O'Neal, who won three championships beginning of the millennium. But from his dream of the championship was still nothing, the Lakers lost the final against the Detroit Pistons 4-1, with Payton in the point- guard battle against Chauncey Billups had clearly left behind. After the season, the Lakers gave the now 36 -year-old Payton from the Boston Celtics, where Payton played until his move to Miami. This season, he scored his 20,000 point, a brand which reached only 28 other NBA pros in front of him. With the Miami Heat in the 2005/06 season he achieved his long-awaited winning the NBA Championship. After winning the NBA championship Payton still attached to a year before he finally retired from active competition. In 2013 he was inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame.
In October 1996, Payton started his own foundation, the Gary Payton Foundation, which is for children who grow up in poor circumstances, begins.