The Golden State Warriors clinched their 4th championship under Head Coach Steve Kerr this season, with the Head Coach being extremely complimentary of his players and especially his stars since. Kerr has credited Curry with all the success that the Warriors have enjoyed, even beyond just this title. But what the Warriors have also spoken about a lot is the contributions of their role players.
Gary Payton II, who was brought onto the roster after his performances during a 10-day contract is a prime example of this. Payton’s verticality and defense made him an excellent piece for the Warriors, with Kerr mourning his loss quite heavily after he had to miss some time during the playoffs with an elbow injury he picked up against the Grizzlies.
Payton himself was itching to get back on the court after that, and Kerr recently revealed on The Lowe Post podcast that Payton couldn’t shoot a three when he came back, which resulted in a hilarious exchange between the coach and the player.
“I asked him, “Can you shoot a 3?” & he goes, “No but I could step in & take a dribble & take an 18 footer,” And I said, “Don’t tell our analytics people that, there’s no way you’re going to get into the game.”
Payton has shown time and again during this run that he possesses great tenacity to go along with his excellent athleticism and defense. His story of how he made it as a regular on the championship-winning Warriors team is an extremely inspiring one for people from all walks of life.
In the three-point era, not being able to connect from deep is a death sentence, but it’s a testament to Payton’s importance that Stever Kerr was happy to play him regardless thanks to everything else he brings to the table. The 29-year-old has made quite the impression and will likely be a key role player for the Warriors in the coming seasons.
