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Yahoo
12 hours ago
- Sport
- Yahoo
Gary Payton admits Bird was the only one who made him think twice about talking trash: "I didn't get discouraged by MJ, I didn't get discouraged by Reggie Miller"
Gary Payton admits Bird was the only one who made him think twice about talking trash: "I didn't get discouraged by MJ, I didn't get discouraged by Reggie Miller" originally appeared on Basketball Network. Gary Payton was tireless both in his defense and with his mouth. He was verbal and could rattle opponents' rhythm with a hand on their chest and throw off their confidence with a word in their ear. Night after night, he brought that Oakland spirit and kinetic fire to the floor, never backing down, never letting up. Advertisement Yet for all the noise he dished out over a 17-year Hall of Fame career, there was one name that brought a pause to the barking. Bird is next level Payton, for all his trash-talking, also got his fair share dished out to him. He faced a lot of trash talkers in his time, but one man gave him a run for his money. It was Larry Bird. "I didn't get discouraged by Michael Jordan, I didn't get discouraged by Reggie Miller," Payton said. "I thought they were great trash talkers, but if [there was] anyone that gave me some good lines and would come back and can back it up and hit a jump shot in your mouth, it was Larry Bird." Payton came into the league in 1990, a sharp-tongued point guard drafted second overall by the Seattle SuperSonics. By then, Bird was already a legend, three-time MVP, three-time NBA champion and the cerebral anchor of the '80s Celtics dynasty. But even in the twilight of his career, Bird commanded respect. Advertisement Payton, whose trash-talking résumé was nearly as decorated as his defensive accolades, quickly learned that the Boston icon was fluent in the very language he thought he'd mastered. Bird didn't just talk. He spat back. He'd tell opponents how he'd score, where he'd shoot from and when it was coming and then he'd go do exactly that, calmly walking back down the court without a smile or smirk. What made Bird different wasn't just the bite in his delivery; it was the precision in his execution. The man didn't need theatrics. His mouth worked like his jumper, smooth, calculated and darn near automatic. Payton, who averaged over 20 points and seven assists across seven straight seasons in the '90s, was the kind of player who made his living off disrupting confidence. But Bird was the kind of player whose confidence didn't crack. His lines were dry but devastating and his game was simple but surgical. Advertisement Even with a bad back and slowing legs, Bird still had that ghostly calm. Related: "We gave them a champion, and we didn't get Zion?" - Arenas isn't pleased with the Wizards' giving away Jordan Poole Legendary trash talker Bird's power came from his presence. And for a talker like Payton, it wasn't just about the words you threw; it was whether they could land. Apparently, the three-time MVP had the last word far too often. "I think Larry Bird was pretty good," Payton said. In the history of the NBA, the greatest trash talkers form a sort of underground lineage. Wilt Chamberlain and Bill Russell had their duels. Michael Jordan turned it into an art form. Reggie Miller weaponized it against crowds as much as players. Advertisement But Bird had a stoic, brutal efficiency. Payton, who retired in 2007 as the only point guard to win Defensive Player of the Year in over two decades, made a career out of taking away comfort. But Bird was never bothered. He wasn't louder. He was smarter. He had already read the script and chosen his shot. Bird's career numbers back up his trash-talking. He scored over 24,000 career points and earned 12 NBA All-Star nods. But it's not just the numbers. It's the mythos. The memory. The fact that even the loudest man in the league knew when he was talking to someone who didn't need to yell. Related: Seattle had to assign a player to drag Gary Payton to practice: "I'd challenge him and talk trash to him to get him going" This story was originally reported by Basketball Network on Jun 27, 2025, where it first appeared.
New York Times
18-06-2025
- Sport
- New York Times
As Thunder near NBA title, spurned Sonics fans can't forget what they lost 17 years ago
SEATTLE — Across the Ballard Bridge (the 15th Avenue Bridge to locals), only a few miles north of the arena that previously housed Seattle's most popular pro sports team, sits Mike's Chili Parlor, a 103-year-old dive bar that, over the last week, has doubled as a hub for SuperSonics fans proudly expressing emotions during the NBA Finals. Advertisement Jason Puckett, 49, showed up wearing a green and yellow cap with the 'SuperSonics' script — the same hat Gary Payton wore on draft night — and a matching NBA Jam T-shirt featuring Shawn Kemp and Payton, because those Seattle teams of the 1990s still mean something to him. Mike Seely, 50, was in attendance for Games 1 and 4 wearing a white, green and yellow Ansu Sesay jersey because … well, there's only one reason to wear a Sesay jersey: Seely's still a die-hard Sonics fan. Nate Backes, 31, came in wearing a gray Sonics hoodie with shorts that matched Seely's jersey in tribute to those Ray Allen teams of the early 2000s. Mike Semandiris, 59, was there for Game 4 primarily because his family has owned the bar since 1922, but also because he still remembers skipping school to watch the parade when the Sonics won the NBA title in 1979. The Parlor, which was standing room only by the fourth quarter of last Friday's Game 4 of the NBA Finals, has served as a snapshot of what's transpiring in Seattle as the Oklahoma City Thunder tangle with the Indiana Pacers in the Thunder's second finals appearance since the franchise relocated from the Emerald City in 2008. Seattleites young and old have never stopped repping their Sonics, but the sight of the Thunder in the finals, the conflating of the two franchise histories during the broadcasts and expansion talks on the docket for upcoming league meetings in July have reinvigorated the city and turned these finals games into unofficial Sonics nostalgia nights. GO DEEPER Will NBA expansion bring the SuperSonics back to Seattle? 'There's just too much karma' Then there's a different emotion during the finals emanating from the Parlor patrons and Sonics fans all over the Pacific Northwest: heartbreak-driven animus. Animus is why the bar erupted with high-fives, hugs and cheers after Tyrese Haliburton's clutch Game 1 shot. It's why a local sports apparel company had an 'OKC Blunder' graphic ready to post on social media after Indy's first win. It's why a man in the back corner of the Parlor wore a white T-shirt bearing the Sonics logo with the phrase 'Boycott Starbucks' across the front. It's why every Pascal Siakam fadeaway and every Shai Gilgeous-Alexander flop evoke visceral reactions. It's why pro-Thunder tweets from beloved ex-Seahawk Tyler Lockett (a Tulsa native) are frequently met with angry, NSFW replies. Advertisement Seattle loves its Sonics. But it also hates the Thunder, Clay Bennett, Howard Schultz, David Stern and anyone associated with a nasty divorce that left them with nothing but memories. 'I have been in fear all year they're going to win the championship, and I'm pretty sure they are,' said Kevin Jackson, a 55-year-old Seattle native. 'When they win, that's going to be a heartbreaking sports moment.' On the eve of Thursday's Game 6, the Thunder have a 3-2 lead and are on the precipice of breaking Seattle's heart. Again. 'What it comes back to is the realization if OKC were to win a championship, how hurtful that would be,' Backes said. 'I don't think any fan of the Thunder deserves a championship. It's not their team. I know that's probably a little insane to say, but it's me being selfish and probably a little crazy about it. 'I just want the Pacers to win. I don't think (the Thunder) deserve a title, a ring, a parade, anything.' The Sonics predate the Seattle Mariners and the Seattle Seahawks, and their NBA title came at a time when the MLB and NFL franchises were still in their infancy. There's a generation of Seattleites old enough to remember when this city only had the Sonics and can trace their pro sports fandom to legends like 'Downtown' Freddie Brown, Donald 'Slick' Watts and Gus Williams. Younger generations fell in love with Payton, Kemp, Nate McMillan and Detlef Schrempf. Others with Allen, Brent Barry and Rashard Lewis. Deep-rooted love for the Sonics contributed to the city being rich with hoops talent. The greater Seattle area has produced NBA players for decades; there are several active players from the area, with Orlando Magic forward Paolo Banchero headlining the list. The Seattle-to-the-NBA pipeline is its own community within the city, and Jamal Crawford — whose annual pro-am is notorious for bringing NBA stars into town — is the godfather of it all. Advertisement Seattle hasn't had an official NBA roster team for 17 years, but there are still podcasts dedicated to the Sonics' history. There's Seattle NBA Fans, a volunteer-based coalition dedicated to rallying support for the team in advance of its return. There's the Sonics Legends Fund, which provides financial aid to former players. There's the 'SonicsGate' documentary about how it all went down. There are autograph-signing events with Sonics legends. Live re-watch parties of playoff games from the '90s with hundreds of attendees. Ex-players like Payton, Schrempf, Kemp and Lewis still actively impact the community. Ditto for Lenny Wilkens and George Karl, the two coaches to lead the Sonics to the finals. GO DEEPER George Karl sees an NBA he hardly recognizes. Does his voice still matter? 'It's the most popular franchise and team that's ever been in this city,' said Puckett, who spent two decades hosting local sports talk radio in Seattle before launching a podcast last year. 'Because of the connection that started so many years ago and so many generations of fans.' Simply Seattle, a local sports apparel company, sells more Sonics gear annually than it does merchandise for every other team in the city, save for when the Washington Huskies made a run to the College Football Playoff national championship in 2023. In two of the last four years, Simply has generated nearly $1 million in revenue solely through sales of Sonics merchandise, according to Jake Smidt, their vice president of products. 'Seattle is a basketball city,' said Smidt, a 28-year-old Seattle native. Kemp and Payton jerseys are their most popular items, a reflection of how fondly people remember the Sonics and covet iconic imagery of those teams from the '90s. Best of Gary Payton to Shawn Kemp alley-oops! 🔥 — ThrowbackHoops (@ThrowbackHoops) March 20, 2020 Among the custom items Simply has created in recent years is its 'We Got Next' T-shirt that dropped prior to KeyArena being renovated and renamed to Climate Pledge Arena. 'That was one of the most popular shirts that we've ever done,' Smidt said. Kenji Onozawa, a 43-year-old Seattle native, runs the X account @SeattleSonics, which has 43,000 followers, and regularly features posts about the team as a reminder of how the Sonics contributed to the legacy and culture of basketball in the city. Advertisement 'They were so accessible,' said Onozawa, a founding adviser of Seattle NBA Fans. 'They were just part of the community, I felt, more so than any other pro team in Seattle. They were out there doing things, and they felt like they were one of us. There's a huge community aspect part of this that is so important to the city.' The Sonics relocated to Oklahoma City in 2008. The fan base never left. 'I think about a whole generation of kids here that grew up without NBA basketball,' said Jackson, a former ESPN and FOX Sports executive. 'That just makes me sad.' During the NBA Finals montage ahead of Game 1, ABC aired a photo of Jack Sikma hugging Dennis Johnson and John Johnson in celebration of the franchise's title. To the right of the image read '1979 SEATTLE SUPERSONICS' with an accompanying logo. Those moments when the two franchises are treated as if they are one in the same remain a sore spot for Sonics fans. 'It's ridiculous to be this worked up about it,' said Mike Gastineau, 65, who spent 21 years as a talk-show host on the Sonics' flagship radio station. His 3 p.m.-7 p.m. time slot was often the lead-in to Sonics broadcasts. 'People say, 'Get over it,' and I'm like, there's certain things in life you just don't get over, even if you know it's probably the best thing to do.' Because many Seattleites will never get over it, any Thunder trip-up is treated as a momentous occasion. The Thunder's success is a reminder of what could have been. So, their shortcomings are celebrated. 'Every time they make the playoffs,' Jackson said, 'I hold my breath until they lose.' Fans who may not even have watched the finals otherwise were actively cheering for the Miami Heat in 2012, when LeBron James, Dwyane Wade, Chris Bosh and the Heat beat the Thunder with a gentleman's sweep. Klay Thompson, whose jersey is retired at his alma mater Washington State, became immortalized in Seattle when his 41 points against the Thunder in Game 6 of the Western Conference finals helped the Golden State Warriors eventually win the series. Damian Lillard became a hero in Seattle when he waved goodbye to the Thunder after drilling a series-ending 3-pointer to lift the Blazers over OKC in the first round of the 2019 playoffs. "What can I say? That was for Seattle." – @Dame_Lillard Seattle will always remember "the wave" 👋 Apple birthday Damian Lillard ⌚️ @SONTHoops — Seattle ON Tap (@SeattleONTap) July 16, 2020 For some, a city more than 2,000 miles away from Indianapolis desperately wants Haliburton's Pacers to pull off a comeback so it can add him to that club of Thunder slayers. 'It's a very worthy grudge to hold,' Seely said. 'There's not a lot of worthy grudges to hold. This is one of them.' Added to the sting of seeing Oklahoma City so close to winning a title is the fact it may come during a time when expansion and the return of the Sonics is on the horizon. NBA commissioner Adam Silver has said he expects the board of governors will discuss expansion next month at its meetings in Las Vegas. Seattle is eagerly awaiting the return of the Sonics, and the city will rejoice when the formal plan for expansion is announced, if their city is included. Advertisement But there would be a cruel irony to receiving that news the same year the Thunder, led by their league MVP, become world champions. 'For (expansion) to happen now and then for them to win it this year would just be the last twist of the knife in the gut,' Puckett said. Sonics fans won't give up hope of a Pacers victory, just as they haven't given up hope regarding NBA expansion. Their passion is too powerful. Passion was the driving force behind Seely screaming at a TV in the Parlor when Obi Toppin drained a pair of triples in the fourth quarter of Game 4 — which inspired a 'Let's go, Pacers!' chant inside the bar. If not for all the Sonics apparel, a passerby may have mistaken the Parlor for a Pacers fan club. But with passion, there is pain. A collective and dejected 'awww' filled the venue when Bennedict Mathurin missed a free throw with 23 seconds left in Game 4. Then he missed another. Seconds later, Mathurin missed again. Tabs were paid, jackets were draped over shoulders, and the bar began to clear out. The Game 1 watch party had ended with a bang; the Game 4 showing was a bummer. Then, Semandiris stood up and, unofficially speaking for an entire city, kept hope alive. 'OK,' Semandiris shouted. 'We'll see y'all on Thursday for Game 6!' (Top illustration: Will Tullos / The Athletic; Otto Greule Jr., Zach Beeker, Bongarts, Garrett Ellwood / Getty Images)
Yahoo
14-06-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
"I don't think he ever will be Kobe" - Gary Payton says it's blasphemy to compare Shai Gilgeous-Alexander to Kobe Bryant
"I don't think he ever will be Kobe" - Gary Payton says it's blasphemy to compare Shai Gilgeous-Alexander to Kobe Bryant originally appeared on Basketball Network. Lou Williams recently compared Oklahoma City Thunder star Shai Gilgeous-Alexander to Kobe Bryant, saying the former's performances in his first two NBA Finals games remind him a lot of the Los Angeles Lakers legend. Advertisement However, Gary Payton, who played with and against Bryant when he was at his peak, disagreed with Williams' take. "Nowhere near Kobe, man. There's going to be one Kobe. That's it. It's only one Kobe. Don't y'all compare people to people, especially somebody like Kobe Bryant. Let Shai be Shai. I don't think he's Kobe yet. I don't think he ever will be Kobe. He's a great basketball player, but you guys slow down. It ain't going to be no Kobe," said Payton on Shannon Sharpe's "Nightcap" show. Breaking Iverson's Finals scoring record Gilgeous-Alexander has been on an absolute scoring tear in the 2025 NBA Playoffs. After averaging 29.7 points per game against the Denver Nuggets in the second round, he put up 31.4 points per game versus the Minnesota Timberwolves in the Western Conference finals. Advertisement But what caught Williams' eye was the Thunder guard scoring 38 and 34 points, respectively, in Games 1 and 2 of the 2025 NBA Finals. His total of 72 is the most points scored by any player ever in his first two championship games, surpassing Allen Iverson's 71 points in 2001. Still, Payton doesn't think that's enough for Gilgeous-Alexander to be compared to Bryant. "Kobe was a different beast. I'm just telling y'all. And we can compare Jordan and Kobe because Kobe tried to be like Jordan," the Hall of Famer added. Related: "Yeah, they'll probably have to do something" - Bird says the NBA will be forced to move the 3-point line back if high volume continues Kobe was Shai's favorite player While Gilgeous-Alexander isn't trying to emulate Bryant to the point Bryant tried to emulate Michael Jordan, the Lakers legend holds a special place in his heart. Advertisement "That's probably my favorite player of all time," Shai said during the media session between Games 1 and 2. "Never got the chance to meet him. His influence has gone through the roof because of the competitor and the basketball player that he was. Hopefully, I'm somewhere close to that as a basketball player one day." During that same media session, Gilegous-Alexander's teammate Jalen Williams also talked about how hard the 2025 NBA MVP studied Bryant's game and tried to pick some parts of it and integrate them into his own. "I feel like if you are really paying attention to basketball and watch the way he plays, there's a lot of similarities. It's cool that he can pick certain aspects of his game to mimic that a little bit and then add his own touch to it. That shows the player that he is, to be able to steal bits and pieces from his favorite players and be able to put it into a game and work on it. There's a lot of work behind the scenes that goes into him being able to do that," he revealed. With how unstoppable Gilgeous-Alexander has looked in the 2025 NBA Playoffs, it's no wonder he's being compared to the legends of the game, especially at his position. Still, it might be too early to put him on Bryant's level. Advertisement Individual dominance is there. Now it's time to rack up championships. Related: "When a guy can pick up the ball with one hand... it's very difficult" - Phil Jackson explained why MJ would beat Kobe if they played one-on-one in their primes This story was originally reported by Basketball Network on Jun 13, 2025, where it first appeared.
Yahoo
11-06-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
"Lot of teammates don't be as close as us three are after basketball" - Gary Payton on why he keeps close ties with his old SuperSonics teammates
"Lot of teammates don't be as close as us three are after basketball" - Gary Payton on why he keeps close ties with his old SuperSonics teammates originally appeared on Basketball Network. There are basketball teams that win games, and then there are teams that leave behind a legacy — something more emotional than what shows up in the standings. For Gary Payton, the legendary point guard whose career spanned nearly two decades, that legacy isn't just about records or playoff runs. It's about relationships. Advertisement And when he talks about his bond with his former Seattle SuperSonics teammates, it's clear that what they built together went far beyond the court. Still bonded The NBA, for all its glamour, is also a grind. Teams are built, broken and rebuilt again in a matter of years. The camaraderie often dissolves the moment players change jerseys. But for GP, the connection with some of his mates at Seattle didn't expire with their contracts. "We were very tight," the iconic point guard said. "Me and Shawn [Kemp] is very tight. Me and Coach [Geroge] Karl is very tight. But you got to understand, if we were to play each other, went through the stuff that we went through, a lot of teammates don't be as close as us three are after basketball or your sport is over." Advertisement The Sonics of the 1990s were electric. With "The Glove's" defensive fire, Shawn Kemp's thunderous dunks and George Karl's intense sideline presence, they became one of the most exciting teams in the NBA. Though they never captured a championship — falling short in the 1996 NBA Finals to Michael Jordan's Chicago Bulls — they captured chemistry that has lasted decades after the final buzzer. That "stuff" wasn't light. It was the kind of pressure that either breaks a group or forges something deeper. From bitter playoff exits to front-office friction to constant scrutiny in a competitive Western Conference, the Sonics weathered a lot. Yet the bond between the core remained firm. Even after the franchise was controversially relocated to Oklahoma City in 2008, leaving Seattle without an NBA team, Gary remained a constant presence in honoring its history. He's been vocal about Seattle's need to get a team back, and he's frequently seen at reunions and charity events with former teammates. Related: "Dad, you at 17, me at 17, who was better? I said, 'Listen, son...'" - Dominique Wilkins on the moment he realized his son didn't know how great of a player he was Payton staying connected This kind of post-career loyalty isn't typical in professional sports. Most players move on. Some fall out of touch. Others let the bitterness of losses linger. But Payton, known for his trash talk and relentless competitiveness, softened as the years went by. Advertisement During his 17-year career, "The Glove" racked up nine NBA All-Star appearances, made nine All-Defensive First Teams and remains the only point guard to have ever won NBA Defensive Player of the Year. Yet what sticks most are the bonds formed. That's where the conversation shifts from tactics and titles to something far more human. For the gritty guard, the moments after basketball have only intensified the meaning of what they shared in those years. "It means so much to me because all that stuff is over," the Hall of Famer said, reflecting on his bond with his former teammate and coach. "We met each other through that. Now it's like a family, a brotherhood and I like that more." It was a relationship built on the foundation of battles fought together. When Payton and Kemp reunite today, they check in, share stories and support each other. Coach Karl, who battled cancer in later years, received nothing but public support from his former players, with Gary and Shawn showing up in both words and presence. Advertisement The SuperSonics weren't the most decorated team of the era, but their impact on Seattle, the game, and each other has proven enduring. From the 1996 Finals run to the fiery playoff clashes with the Utah Jazz and Houston Rockets, their resume is studded with unforgettable moments. Yet those moments were stepping stones to something more meaningful, a lasting brotherhood. In 2013, the same year Payton was inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame, he used part of his speech to salute his teammates — Kemp most notably and the franchise that shaped him. Related: "You 20-something years old and thinking you're gonna go to jail for the rest of your life" - Gary Payton recalls Kobe Bryant fearing his career was over amid off court troubles in 2003 This story was originally reported by Basketball Network on Jun 9, 2025, where it first appeared.
Time of India
10-06-2025
- Sport
- Time of India
After Gary Payton's defensive challenge, Luka Doncic begins new chapter with Los Angeles Lakers focused on hustle and heart
(Image Source - Getty Images) Fresh from a mid-season trade that sent him from the Dallas Mavericks to the Los Angeles Lakers in February 2025—a major deal for Anthony Davis and other assets—Luka received some pointed advice from NBA legend Gary Payton at the BUDX NBA House in Mumbai, who reminded him, "Defense is a mindset. " At 26 years old, this five-time All-Star is using every bit of that criticism to fuel a transformation with the Lakers, gearing up to meet the expectations on both ends of the court. Can Doncic's lunch‑buckets work to shift the Lakers defense? Luka's first days in L.A. were a wild experience. He was still scoring like a pro—averaging 28.2 points per game during the 2024–25 season split between Dallas and L.A.—but critics were laser-focused on his defense. After the Lakers' first-round loss to Minnesota, Charles Barkley made it clear, saying Luka "can't guard a chair." Payton and Robert Horry backed him up, suggesting that if Luka wants to change his legacy, he needs to prioritize defense. Luka's reply was a serious promise to transform. In recent weeks, several reports have highlighted a visibly slimmer and fitter version of the Slovenian star, deeply involved in strict diet and workout plans. It was mentioned that his offseason is driven by "disrespect towards his work ethic," and it was "offseason due to the embarrassment" after trade talks and playoff letdowns. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Good News: You May Be Richer Than You Think Undo Another point to note is that the Lakers' front office is all in on this transformation. Team president Rob Pelinka and coach J.J. Redick has compared the process of integrating Luka mid-season to "building an airplane in the sky." They praised his dedication, referring to his presence as a "total energy reset," and confirmed that they will be making summer roster changes to support his two-way game. The fact that they want to hire a new Head Strength & Conditioning Coach with a pay scale of up to $250K tells you something about how much they care about his fitness. With Luka in charge, Lakers veterans and insiders are feeling hopeful. Reddit users pointed out that even if he might not become a "defensive beast," his average defensive effort paired with his offensive skills could turn him into an unstoppable all-star. One fan even said, "He's going to be a monster next year." Also Read: 'I never lose belief' — Tyrese Haliburton's clutch shots and vulnerability have revived Indiana basketball's soul Luka Doncic's time with the Lakers isn't solely about racking up 30-point games—it's about establishing a solid defensive strategy, welcoming a transformative offseason, and dedicating himself to a championship mindset. Following Gary Payton's public challenge and Barkley's harsh comments, Doncic finds himself at a pivotal moment. If this determined, passionate version of Luka remains, the Lakers could gain a lot, and so could his legacy—shaping a future not just as a top scorer, but as the two-way leader that Los Angeles desperately needs.
