San Francisco, CA – Most players shy away from guarding the best offensive weapons on opposing teams. Golden State Warriors guard Gary Payton II is not one of those players. He's actually the opposite. He loves it.
Wednesday, Payton II had the opportunity of defending both Chris Paul and Devin Booker and he enjoyed every minute. Payton II defends the best player on the opposite team nightly and he always accepts the challenge.
“It’s great,” Payton II told ClutchPoints. “Playing against superstars and guys like CP (Chris Paul) that has been here and D-Book (Devin Booker) doing what he does and affecting the game the way they do, I just take it as a challenge to try to slow them down, disrupt their offense and disrupt things they do on the offensive end.”
This summer, Payton II barely made the team. When he signed with the Warriors he took the 15th and final roster spot. His defense allowed him to turn into a key player for the Warriors.
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Article Continues BelowAs soon as No. 0 enters the game the crowd erupts because when he checks in he brings a ton of energy. His teammates feed off of it and opponents are bothered by it instantly.
This year Payton II is averaging 7.1 points, shooting 36.6 percent from deep, a career-high 1.3 steals, in 17.3 minutes.
This is the best season of his career, and he's been the perfect fit for the Warriors. He's making a positive impact on the team and he loves his role.
“Every night, I know I have to see somebody,” Payton II said. “It’s just a thrill to lace them up and get after it.”