Imagine growing up knowing your father is an NBA legend—an icon who made nine All-Star appearances, earned a Defensive Player of the Year honor, and won an NBA championship. That’s the reality Gary Payton II had to navigate. And while he’s forged a solid career of his own, including NBA and G-League titles, and a 2020-21 G-League Defensive Player of the Year award. The journey wasn’t always smooth, especially when it came to his relationship with his father.

Early on, Gary Payton Sr. and his namesake clashed often. But as tough as that bond may have seemed from the outside, it stemmed from something deeper. “I criticized my son so much, man. I just told him it wasn’t gonna be nothing. And he proved me wrong… At the first time I was thinking about myself how I played. And I want him to play that way. Y’ all gotta understand, man, it’s only one Gary Payton, and that’s me. And I just named my son after me. That’s it,” Payton said.

Payton didn’t sugarcoat the friction or try to act like their connection was always strong. In fact, he openly admitted that the rocky dynamic might’ve given his son a reason to hold some resentment. But even through the criticism, the care was always there, especially when it came to his son’s basketball journey. The first crack in their armor came when Payton II boldly chose Oregon State, just like Dad. “That was a big deal for me, for him, because I really didn’t think he was going to do that. So I tell him all the time, I said, man, look here, don’t never think you got to be like me. It ain’t gonna work that way,” Payton said on Club 520 Podcast.

Now, while Gary Payton II did make his mark at Oregon State, his stats didn’t quite reach the heights of his father’s legendary college career. In his senior season, Payton II averaged 16.0 points, 7.8 rebounds, 5.0 assists, and 2.5 steals—solid numbers, but dwarfed by Sr.’s 25.7/8.1/4.7/3.4 line from 1990–91, it’s clear the bar was set incredibly high.

Still, Payton never expected his son to clone his legacy. Instead, he found a heartfelt way to put their bond into perspective. On the Club 520 Podcast, he shared a powerful idea. “I said [to his son], if you want to be like, be anything with me, just… Lay your picture aside me when I got my number retired at Oregon State… Just put picture up next to mine. And then we ain’t gotta say nothing. We can just say we two legends,” Payton revealed.

That’s the kind of quiet, meaningful respect that speaks volumes. It was less about who outperformed whom and more about honoring two distinct journeys. In the end, father and son may have taken different paths, but now they stand side by side—two names, one legacy, and all heart.

The Game that made Gary Payton II believe he would land his father’s approval

There are certain nights on the hardwood that mean more than just a win, and for Gary Payton II, Game 3 against the Houston Rockets this season was exactly that. On April 26, 2025, with the Warriors knotted 1–1 in their first-round tilt and All-Star forward Jimmy Butler sidelined by a pelvic and deep-gluteal contusion, Steve Kerr entrusted Gary Payton II with a season-defining assignment.

Payton II—once an undrafted college guard who clawed his way to a 2020-21 G-League Defensive Player of the Year award—rose to the occasion. He finished with a playoff career-high 16 points on 7-of-9 shooting, drilling two go-ahead triples, and amassed three steals in a breathtaking 11-point fourth-quarter surge that flipped a six-point deficit into a 104–93 victory.

Thanks to his efforts, Golden State edged ahead 2-1 in their first-round series, with Game 4 looming large tonight at Chase Center. But for Payton II, the real highlight came after the final buzzer. Before leaving the court, he made his way to a familiar face—his father, NBA Hall of Famer Gary Payton. This wasn’t just a hug; it was validation.

“When I was growing up, he always used to talk and say something during the game,” Payton II told Andscape. “Now, he don’t. He just enjoys the game. So, what happened a while ago is now peace of mind for me. I don’t have to worry about him no more yelling and barking. I know I’m doing something right.” For a player once shadowed by the weight of a legendary name, that quiet nod from his dad spoke volumes.

In one performance, Payton II not only swung a playoff series but also closed a chapter on years of seeking paternal approval.