Advertisement - scroll for more content
Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement - scroll for more content
Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement
The Seattle SuperHawks are heading into their fourth season as a professional team that competes in a developmental league. Bringing more than 12 years of NBA assistant coaching experience and NBA playing experience is Robert Pack. Pack has been named head coach of the SuperHawks. The standout point guard delivered several memorable performances during his pro career as a player on several squads, including the Denver Nuggets and the Dallas Mavericks.
Pack and former Seattle SuperSonics star point guard Gary Payton stopped by the KING 5 studios on Saturday to talk about their new coaching roles. Payton has gotten the nod to serve as an assistant coach for the SuperHawks. Both Pack and Payton said they are thrilled to help young athletes get their shot and make their dreams a reality. "The guys are practicing hard. You're going to see guys who didn't have the opportunity to be drafted," Pack said. "We're looking forward to a good start to the season."
How many times have you watched Damian Lillard hit a defender with a dribble jab, create separation and hit a 3-pointer? That bar perfectly encapsulated his hip-hop and basketball skills. “Wasatch Front” was a defining moment for Lillard. “What’s Up Doc? (Can We Rock?)” was a defining moment for O’Neal. When we talk about hip-hop meshing with basketball players, those two provided the blueprint. The list is longer than some may assume. There was Cedric Ceballos in the early 1990s. Gary Payton, Chris Webber and Allen Iverson all dabbled in the genre. The late, great Kobe Bryant put out a memorable collaboration with R&B superstar Brian McKnight, “Hold Me,” in 1997.
The Heat at Tuesday night’s game against the Atlanta Hawks at Kaseya Center will celebrate the 20th anniversary of the franchise’s first championship, won in 2006. Expected in attendance for the night, which will offer a halftime presentation and other game elements of commemoration, are 2006 Heat champions Earl Barron, Michael Doleac, Udonis Haslem, Jason Kapono, Alonzo Mourning, Shaquille O’Neal, Gary Payton, Wayne Simien, Dwyane Wade, Antoine Walker, and Dorell Wright. Fellow Heat 2006 champions Jason Williams, James Posey, Derek Anderson and Shandon Anderson will not be in attendance.
Nick DePaula: Stephen Curry arrived tonight in The Glove — honoring Oakland native Gary Payton and his iconic Nike signature shoe.
Stephen Curry arrived tonight in The Glove — honoring Oakland native Gary Payton and his iconic Nike signature shoe. pic.twitter.com/6Y2UDNDfOg
— Nick DePaula (@NickDePaula) December 3, 2025
Advertisement
As part of its 10th anniversary celebration, vivo Philippines is bringing NBA Hall of Famer and 2006 Champion Gary Payton Sr., famously known as The Glove, to Manila for an exclusive meet-and-greet at the vivo Concept Store, SM Megamall, on Sept. 12, 2025 at 4 p.m.
The Golden State Warriors unveiled newly refurbished basketball courts at Mosswood Park in Oakland on Thursday, part of the team's continued investment in safe spaces for youth in the East Bay. The unveiling featured two NBA champions, Hall of Famer and Oakland native Gary Payton Sr, and Festus Ezeli, who helped cut the ribbon and lead a ceremonial tip-off with kids from the city’s Studio One Arts Center.
"Many years ago, before you guys were even born, I was playing on this playground at probably your age or a little older," Payton told a group of children gathered at the court. He recalled how this very park shaped his game and his character. "Especially being here from Oakland, California - in my day it was really, really rough to come out here and try to play friendly," Payton said. "People would want to get you and things like that, but you had to have that gut and that toughness."
Ishaan Bhattacharya: Gary Payton shares his take on Luka Doncic and his defensive evolution, "You have to be dedicated to playing defense. Maybe it’s not good for him; he’s a scorer. If he puts his mind to it... It’s a mindset to play defense... I don’t think Luka is a defensive player; he’s a scorer. But now. If he wants to, yes. But does he want to do it? That’s up to him, not up to us. He’s an athlete. He’s got great ability, but now does he want to go change it and prove people wrong that he can play defense? If that was me, I would change that. I'll go out there and try to defend somebody, get in shape, and do the things I gotta do."
Gary Payton shares his take on Luka Doncic and his defensive evolution,
— Ishaan Bhattacharya (@IshaanBhatta) June 5, 2025
"You have to be dedicated to playing defense. Maybe it’s not good for him; he’s a scorer. If he puts his mind to it... It’s a mindset to play defense... I don’t think Luka is a defensive player; he’s a… pic.twitter.com/pEPd7VoGHD
Gary Payton: And then I feel for Nico, man. Nico was my rep at Nike—that’s like a little brother to me. He always looked up to me like that. So I feel for him because of what he took, you know what I’m saying? People don’t understand—he’s the President and General Manager. He can’t make those calls on his own. An owner has to make that call. He can’t just say, “I’ll make the call.” Because he was going to get fired. So all you fans out there blaming him like that— Get up out of here with that. It wasn’t his call to make that decision. He made a decision based on what he was told to do—what was supposed to be done—and that’s what they did.
Advertisement
Gary Payton: People just don’t understand. I think—and I always tell Shawn—I say: “If we wouldn’t have gotten our egos messed up, and his ego messed up—if he would have stayed with me more years—he’d be a Hall of Famer by now.” You know what I’m saying? Because we would’ve made a bigger dynasty than what we did. We were one of the greatest duos to ever play with each other. And now, I’m trying to get him in the Hall of Fame for what he did with me. You know what I’m saying? I just think I had a blessing to play with a person with that much talent— because I could just throw the ball up to him, and he would go get it from anywhere.
Gary Payton: Then I started playing, and I started feeling better and better. We were down too much in the series, and I just started saying: “Let me guard him.” And he [Jordan] was averaging 33 points at the time. Then I started becoming a pest for him. I brought it down to 23 points. And what do coaches do when they have a problem? They try to solve it. Jordan was starting to take it personally with me, which is what I wanted to happen. Then Phil Jackson said, “Nah, let me put somebody bigger on him and distract him—make it a problem.” And he put Scottie Pippen on me. Pippen is a bigger player than me—he’s 6'7", he’s mobile. And it started taking a toll on me— Trying to score and guard Jordan at the same time—it took a toll.
Jorge Sierra: Russell Westbrook passed Kevin Johnson and Bob Cousy in playoffs assists for No. 19 in NBA history. He also moved ahead of Andre Iguodala and Gary Payton in steals for No. 27... and Clyde Drexler in scoring for No. 32. Big night for Russ.
The 2006 Miami Heat were a team defined by resilience, leadership, and the emergence of a new NBA dynasty. Led by the dynamic duo of Dwyane Wade and Shaquille O’Neal, the Heat transformed from a promising squad to an NBA champion in just one season. Wade, in particular, had a historic playoff run, taking control of the Finals with a performance that earned him the Finals MVP. The Heat battled through adversity, especially in the Finals against the Dallas Mavericks, where they came back from a 2-0 series deficit to win four straight games, clinching the title in six. Wade’s ability to dominate offensively, coupled with Shaq’s presence in the paint, was the perfect recipe for Miami’s success. The team’s victory not only solidified Wade’s place as one of the league’s elite players but also marked the first NBA championship in Miami Heat history, establishing the franchise as a perennial contender and setting the foundation for future success in the years to come. Finally, Payton got the ring. Not as the lead guy, but as the vet. Riley believed in him.Wade went nuclear and when it mattered most, GP helped get it over the finish line.When Wade kicked it to us, all we had to do was make a shot and then play D,” recounted Payton. “And that’s what we did.”