Question 1

True or false: Gary Payton was nicknamed 'The Glove' because of his tenacious defense.

Accepted Answer

True. The nickname was coined by a fan in a contest. It stuck because his defense 'locked up' opponents like a glove.

Question 2

True or false: Gary Payton's son, Gary Payton II, also played in the NBA.

Accepted Answer

True. Gary Payton II played for several NBA teams, including the Warriors, and won an NBA championship in 2022.

Question 3

True or false: Gary Payton never played for a team outside the United States.

Accepted Answer

False. Payton played for the Milwaukee Bucks, Lakers, Celtics, and Heat in the NBA, but he never played overseas professionally.

Question 4

True or false: Gary Payton won an NCAA championship with Oregon State in 1990.

Accepted Answer

False. Payton played for Oregon State but never won an NCAA title. He was Pac-10 Player of the Year in 1990 and went to the NBA.

Question 5

True or false: Gary Payton is the only point guard to win NBA Defensive Player of the Year.

Accepted Answer

True. He won Defensive Player of the Year in 1996. No other point guard has ever earned that award, making it a rare feat.

Question 6

True or false: Gary Payton was drafted first overall in the 1990 NBA Draft.

Accepted Answer

False. He was selected 2nd overall by the Seattle SuperSonics, behind Derrick Coleman (1st pick by the Nets).

Question 7

True or false: Gary Payton once held the NBA record for most career steals.

Accepted Answer

False. He is second all-time in steals (2,445), behind John Stockton. Many assume he held the record due to his defensive reputation.

Question 8

True or false: Gary Payton never averaged more than 20 points per game in a season.

Accepted Answer

False. He averaged 24.2 points per game in the 1999-2000 season and topped 20 PPG in four different seasons.

Gary Payton Trivia Questions