Gary Payton II, Senior, Oregon State, Guard, 6’3, 190
(2014-15, 36.3 mpg) 13.4 ppg, 7.5 rpg, 3.2 apg, 3.1 spg, 1.9 tpg
48.5 FG%, 66.3 FT%, 29.3 3FG%, 54.7 TS%, 52.5 eFG%
22.0 USG%, 18.4 DREB%, 12.7 TRB%, 22.3 AST%, 5.4 STL%, 1.7:1 A/TO
DOB: 12/1/1992 (22) Hometown: Seattle, Washington
2015 First Team All-Pac-12
2015 Pac-12 Defensive Player of the Year
The Watch List is not meant to replace full scouting reports and is only meant as a guide for who and what to watch for this upcoming season
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After two seasons at Salt Lake Community College, Payton, son of one of the all-time NBA greats, made an immediate impact for the Beavers and in the Pac-12. A stat-sheet stuffer, the left-handed Payton recorded the second triple-double ever in Oregon State history; the first was by his father. While a very good ballhandler, Payton often split time at the point guard spot, though he was often counted on to make things happen if the shot clock was running out. He is very good at breaking down defenders off the dribble, but can be a bit nonchalant with the ball at times, and has a tendency to over-dribble instead of keeping the ball moving. Payton prefers to get into the defense and attack the basket rather than shooting jumpers, and he shows very good body control and finishing ability around the basket, as well as better ability to finish through contact than you would expect for his size. Payton does have a tendency to get a little wild as he looks to avoid defenders, though he does find ways to get shots off around much bigger players. Payton’s percentages on his jumpers, mid- and long-range, are not very good, but there is potential there, as his form isn’t that bad. He can knock down shots from long-range if he has time to get set, and since he has a fairly slow motion and release, time to get his shot off. He is also a threat to hit his jumpers off the dribble, and while he does a good job clearing space, he is still inconsistent. Payton uses screens well to attack the basket and set up space for his jumper, and he moves well without the ball, especially on basket cuts. He will also post-up similar size guards, showing good footwork and quick moves to the basket. Payton sees the floor well, and has good passing ability, especially when he drives and kicks the ball out when the help comes over. Defensively, Payton can be a pest, showing quick hands and feet, and the ability to pick up the ball full-court if necessary. He positions himself well on and off the ball, and has good lateral movement, but he has a bad tendency to wander when off the ball, often leaving his man completely alone with no chance of recovering. It’s something that may work at the college level, but he would never get away with it at the pro level with better ball movement. He can play passing lanes well, and he anticipates movement and passes, but he often takes a lot of chances that don’t pay off, leaving his teammates in bad spots. Payton rebounds well for his size, especially on the defensive end, and he has a tendency to always be around the ball, partly because he wanders around so much. Payton is very quick in transition, showing good finishing ability at the rim, as well as strong passing ability, though he can be somewhat optimistic in the passes he will try to attempt.
What he needs to show this season: Payton was impressive in his first year of Division I basketball, but much of his game still had a JUCO feel to it, especially the over-dribbling looking to find an opening, and the wandering off the ball on defense, but to be fair, many other Division I guards have created names as “defensive” players, by being more of a threat off the ball than being able to stop their man with the ball. The thing is, Payton has the ability to be a good defender, he just has to curtail a lot of the bad habits. On offense, he does need to find more consistency with his jumper, including a quicker motion and release, and his decision-making should improve with more talent around him in Corvallis this year. Also, he didn’t show much of his ability to run the pick-and-roll, showing most of this playmaking ability off of drive-and-kicks, but the necessary skills are there. Payton’s ballhandling is good, as I mentioned, but he can be a bit more careful with the ball, and make sure to keep the ball moving on offense if nothing is there.
Where he fits at the next level: Payton definitely impressed at times as a junior, and his name alone should get him plenty of looks for the NBA level, but being able to knock down jumpers consistently, as well as tightening up and refining other parts of his game will be important. It’s obvious he understands the game at a high level, and he plays as hard as anyone out on the floor, traits coaches will appreciate, and though he may not have great size, he has the potential to be a solid pro point guard. At what level depends on how much further his game can come along.
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