Gary Payton II is a name that resonates with several NBA fans especially as he is the son of Gary Payton, the Seattle Supersonics legend. The 30-year-old has become a fan favorite in the NBA and people love seeing him perform on the court. Even though he hasn’t produced the best numbers on the court, Payton II has been a great backup for his teammates. Especially when it comes to defense, he has it all figured out.
The 2022 NBA Champion was bounced around the league for quite some time. He was initially signed by the Houston Rockets in 2016 after going undrafted. They waived following the 2016 preseason games. He signed with the NBA D-League’s Rio Grande Valley Vipers and became an instant hit. He would return to the main stage with the Milwaukee Bucks. After playing with their G League affiliate, he was finally waived later that season. He went on to sign a two-way contract with the Los Angeles Lakers.
Between 2018 and 2021, Gary Payton II would spend the majority of his time in the NBA playing in the G League. But in 2021, he signed back-to-back ten-day contracts with the Golden State Warriors. His work with them ultimately led the Warriors to sign him full-time. However, during the 2021-22 season playoffs, Payton II was injured by Dillon Brooks of the Memphis Grizzlies. He played during Games 5 and 6 of the NBA Finals and helped the Warriors win the title.
Fans react to Gary Payton II joining forces with Shaquille O’Neal at the Outside Lands Music Festival
Now, Gary Payton II has become quite the hit in the Bay Area. He is known for having a great personality, gelling with everybody he crosses paths with. Recently, Shaquille O’Neal performed at the Outside Lands Music Festival, in the Bay Area. Besides being known as arguably the greatest center in MBA history, Shaq has a bunch of other talents under his belt. From being a businessman to a sports entertainer and a DJ, he is quite an impressive individual.
Gary Payton II joined O’Neal on stage during his set at the music festival. Payton II hyped up the crowd as Shaq performed behind the turntable. Shaq had made his long-awaited comeback to the stage and Payton II brought the excitement with him. Fans were seemingly excited to see both of them on stage as well. One fan said, “He almost as good as Shaq.”
He almost as good as Shaq
— huntthegod (@hunttheg0d) August 12, 2023
— Lebron in 1 (@Lebronin1) August 12, 2023
However, Shaq’s DJ Diesel persona isn’t the only thing making a comeback. Gary Payton II also made a return to the Warriors after signing a three-year $26 million deal with the Portland Trail Blazers. After missing out on several games, he made his debut in Portland on January 2, 2023. He was sent back to the Warriors via a four-team trade. Gary made it just in time for the playoffs where he averaged 6.8 points, 3.1 rebounds, and 0.8 assists per game. Unfortunately, the Warriors lost against the Lakers in the second round.