Golden State Warriors: Gary Payton is flying to success, literally

Gary Payton II might be flying under the radar of most NBA fans — but he will be flying over each of their heads for a thunderous dunk at some point this season. The 29-year-old is finding a surprising amount of success with the Golden State Warriors.

Standing at 6’3″ and having never been seen as a threat at the NBA level, Payton has been shocking opponents with his bounce. His vertical was measured at 38.5 inches during the draft combine in 2016 but it feels like GP2 never stops rising when he leaps for a dunk.

Payton’s athleticism was on full display against the Minnesota Timberwolves. A lob pass from Stephen Curry saw Payton cock back with two hands before erupting on the rim on a fastbreak. That same game, GP2 caught a reverse lob out of set play the Dubs have been running recently which calls for him to slip a screen and catch a lob.

Yes, the Warriors have a play dedicated to tossing a lob to their 6’3″ point guard. And yes, it has worked every single time.

Gary Payton II is quite literally flying to success with the Golden State Warriors as his athleticism has made him a high-impact player.

Payton is much more than a human highlight reel, however. He has been superb on the defensive end, applying pressure to ball handlers constantly. He has the same quick hands as his father and his motor allows him to harass opponents the entire time he is on the floor.

His energy is not limited to the defensive end. While Payton’s slam dunk plays will garner all of the attention, his willingness to move without the ball throughout an entire possession is something that has made him a valuable asset to the offense.

GP2 never stops moving. He has a great feel for when to cut and where to cut. Even if he does not receive a pass each time, simply dashing to the hoop forces the defense into motion — which is where the Warriors can capitalize on their opponent’s mistakes.

Payton is averaging 7.3 points, 2.8 rebounds and 1.4 steals in 14.3 minutes of playing time per game since cracking the official rotation. He has been an underdog his whole career and he is soaring to success this season.