Gary Payton
Awards & Honours
30
Awards Won
6
Honours
3
Rankings
3
Covers
4
Records
Gary Payton's career is defined by rare defensive dominance for a point guard. He remains the only point guard to win the NBA Defensive Player of the Year award, a feat he accomplished in 1996. His nine consecutive All-Defensive First Team selections are a record for a guard, and he earned seven All-Star appearances. Payton was a key member of the 2006 Miami Heat championship team, hitting a clutch shot in the Finals. He was inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in 2013 and named to the NBA 75th Anniversary Team in 2021, solidifying his status among the game's all-time greats.
Awards
Honours & Distinctions
Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame
Inducted as a player
NBA 75th Anniversary Team
Named one of the 75 greatest players in NBA history
Seattle SuperSonics Ring of Honor
Jersey No. 20 retired by the franchise
Oregon State University Hall of Fame
Inducted as a former athlete
Oregon Sports Hall of Fame
Inducted for basketball achievements
Bay Area Sports Hall of Fame
Inducted for contributions to sports
Rankings & Lists
NBA 75th Anniversary Team
ESPN's Top 74 NBA Players of All Time
All-Time NBA Point Guard Rankings
Magazine Covers
Sports Illustrated
1996
The Glove
SLAM Magazine
1996
Gary Payton: The Glove Fits
ESPN The Magazine
Various
Feature stories during prime
Records & Feats
First point guard to win NBA Defensive Player of the Year
In 1996, Payton became the first point guard in NBA history to win the Defensive Player of the Year award, a feat not matched until Marcus Smart in 2022.
Most career steals by a point guard at retirement
Payton retired with 2,445 steals, the most by a point guard at the time, later surpassed by Chris Paul.
First player to record 200 steals and 100 three-pointers in a season
In the 1995-96 season, Payton became the first player in NBA history to achieve 200 steals and 100 three-pointers in a single season.
Most games played for Seattle SuperSonics franchise
Payton played 999 regular-season games for the SuperSonics, the most in franchise history.