NEVER GIVE UP_ The INSPIRATIONAL Story of Gary Payton II

I was watching some highlights between the Dubs and the T-Wolves last night, and there were times during the game that I thought I was watching a dunk contest. Man, did you hear the impact from that last throwdown? Let's play it one more time. Unless you've been living under a rock, I'm pretty sure you're well aware that the Warrior's 15th man has moved front and center and is taking the league by storm, literally and figuratively elevating his game to new heights. But before this season, no one really knew GP2 that well, and most people only perceived him as the son of an NBA legend and the guy who's been in and out of the G-League. So today guys, I think this is the perfect time to get to know a little bit more about Gary Payton II, because we need to appreciate how he transitioned from a kid who lived behind the large shadow of his father, to a player who's now creating a name for himself. Gary Dwayne Payton II was born December 1st, 1992 in Seattle, Washington, while his dad was playing for the Supersonics. Contrary to what a lot of people think, GP2 had a rough time in dealing with his father's stardom as kids from his elementary school would often tease him whenever he played pickup games with them by saying things like, Why didn't your dad teach you how to play basketball? You'll never be as good as your dad. The only way you'll make the team is if your dad pays for it. Now, on GP Sr.'s part, he would always tag little Gary along to every home game and bring him to fold by letting him be the ball boy with the team and have a little fun with his dad's teammates like Def Lett Shrimp, Vin Baker, and eventually the young GP2 had a chance to meet big stars like KG and Vince Carter, who Gary Sr. considers as good friends. His participation with the team never ended as a ball boy as GP2 also moved onto handing out water bottles and towels when players got back to the bench, and he also dressed up as a mini-squatch to work as a sidekick to the Supersonics mascot to bring some fun and smiles to the crowd during odd moments of the game. But despite being deeply involved in basketball at such an early age, GP2's love for the game began to turn sour and he actually drifted away rather than developing a stronger bond with it. GP2 transferred from one school to another when he was in high school, from Milwaukee, Boston, Los Angeles to Las Vegas. Despite the change in scenery and the faces that he encountered, the one thing that followed him and remained constant was the bullying that he received. As a result, GP2's frustration manifested on the court and there were times that he didn't want to suit up and play because other kids would just keep on comparing him to his dad. Sensing GP2 was getting discouraged, his mom, Monique, told his son to stand up to bullies and just like his pops, encouraged him to talk a little trash to them just to get even. Talk back to them, curse them out if you have to, and get in their face. Just make sure that they know you're your own man and that you can be whatever you want to be. Around 9th grade, GP2's interest in playing hoops began to slowly dissipate and despite playing AAU ball, he would only get to play in limited minutes, especially during garbage time. In GP2's words, I'd get in for a few minutes if we were up by 40, but it was hard to do much in those situations. He was so embarrassed at the time that he told his dad not to attend his games anymore. On top of this, he didn't want his father to hear the criticisms and bullying that were directed at him. The pressure got to me. Everyone was comparing me to my dad. It just wasn't fun anymore. As soon as GP2 was starting to give up on his hoop dream, the tide suddenly shifted during the summer before his junior year at Spring Valley High School in Las Vegas. A local AAU coach named Daryl Jordan began taking interest in GP2 and began to train him to improve all the facets of his game, particularly developing his offensive game and enhancing his conditioning. I got him with a guy named Daryl Jordan that really helped him play. And according to his mom, this was the time when GP2 developed his incredible hops and increased his verticals to a crazy level despite standing an inch shorter than his dad. Apparently, the extra athleticism that GP2 acquired from the intense workout session was the turning point that he never expected. And once he got to where he could dunk, it was on from there. He became a totally different person. Basketball became the main thing in his life. It was a type of passion he had never experienced before. With his renewed passion for the game, several scouts from Division 1 schools offered him scholarships but because of his subpar academic performance, he settled in attending a prep school in Phoenix before joining the Bruins program at Salt Lake City Community College for two seasons. Despite this small setback, GP2 acknowledged the fact that he was not ready to play for a Division 1 school and considered this step as a preparation phase for something bigger that was yet to come. That was the best thing for me anyway. I wasn't physically or mentally prepared to be a Division 1 player out of high school. During his second year with the Bruins, he earned a second team NJCAA Division 1 nod after averaging 14.1 points, 7.9 rebounds, and 3.8 assists while averaging almost 2 steals a game. He also led the team in back-to-back Region 18 Championships and was named as Co-Player of the Year in 2014 as well as Tournament MVP. At this point in his career, GP2 regained his confidence and he immediately signed a letter of intent to play for his dad's alma mater in Oregon State. Back when he was a kid, GP Senior would always bring his kid to Gill Coliseum. And since the elder Peyton was a pretty big deal back in the day, the young GP noticed that his father would always take some time to engage with fans, having photo ops and signing autographs just to show his appreciation for them. The memory of his dad resonated with GP2 and inspired him to be just like his dad someday. He's treated like a superstar every time he comes to Corvallis. Sometimes I'd watch it all happen and think, I want that to be me someday. But now I realize I just want to do my own thing. Back then, having a sports celebrity dad was huge luggage that GP2 always had to carry wherever he went. But as soon as he grew in size and wisdom, he realized that it's pretty cool to have a legendary dad whose jersey hangs by the Coliseum rafters for everyone to see. And this motivated GP2 to do better in playing ball. Every time you look up there and see that, you need to think, one day they're going to put my picture up there next to my dad's. The greatest I ever played a game. I think I definitely got out of his shadow growing up. It's huge. During his two-year stint with Oregon State, GP2 balled out right off the bat in his freshman year by averaging 13.4 points, 7.5 rebounds, 3.2 assists, and took pride in defense just like his dad with 3.1 steals per game. He became the second player in Oregon State's history to rack up a triple double with 10 points, 12 rebounds, and 10 assists against Grambling State. And if you're wondering who's the first player to receive a triple double in the school's history, well, you don't have to look further because it was his old pops. Because of his stellar play on both ends of the floor, GP2 received a ton of personal accolades and recorded several school records. But the crowning glory in his collegiate campaign was when he received back-to-back Defensive Player of the Year honors in 2015 and 2016. While Gary Payton Sr. was satisfied with how the way his son performed in the defensive end, he pointed out that he should develop his offensive game to become a legit threat in the NBA level. I want him to be more aggressive offensively. He needs to develop his mid-range jumper if he wants to get to the next level. If he does that, he'll have a chance, because he already does a lot of things NBA guys like. After playing for two years in Oregon State, GP2 finally enlisted in the 2016 NBA draft, but unfortunately, no one among the 30 teams took interest in him. But once again, another setback didn't stop GP2 from following in his father's footsteps at playing in the big league. GP2 entered through the backdoor and played for the Rio Grande Valley Vipers in the NBA's affiliate G League. 49 games into the season, GP2 finally got the call and suited up for the Milwaukee Bucks in his official NBA debut. From 2016 to 2020, GP2 had been going up and down, back and forth from G League to the NBA. Despite this, GP2 kept his game and stuck to his bread and butter, which has always been his defense. Once again, GP2 was hailed as Defensive Player of the Year, this time in the G League last season playing for Rafters 905. After being waived by the Warriors last year, GP2 was finally re-signed by the Dubs to be its 15th member, and now from the looks of it, GP2 ain't going elsewhere anytime soon with how he plays right now. If Steph was able to single-handedly revolutionize the way the game is being played now, I hope that GP2 can also be a catalyst that will start a defensive revolution in the league to somehow counter or balance the ridiculous offensive growth that unfolds in front of our eyes. With his capabilities as an elite defender, I'm sure that GP2 will inspire the next generation of hoopers to take pride in defense more instead of focusing solely on their offensive game. And speaking of Steph and defense, did you all know that Stephen Curry is probably by far the most underrated defender? What do I mean? Well, I could tell you right now, or you can just watch this video right here. But I'm serious when I say that his three-point shooting abilities overshadows his defensive skills. Anyway, I think I might be talking a bit too much here. Just go ahead, click the video, watch it, enjoy it, and like always, I'll be on the other side.