A dynamic scorer and playmaker who is just as capable of turning a game around with his defensive play, Payton has played in six consecutive NBA All-Star Games and has been named to the NBA All-Defensive First Team seven straight times. He has earned All-NBA First, Second or Third Team honors in each of the past six years.

Payton was the highest draft pick in Seattle Sonics history, selected with the No. 2 overall pick in 1990. Payton was the team's starting point guard from the day he walked into training camp. By his third season, 1992-93, he was a recognized point guard, averaging 13.5 points, 4.9 assists and 2.2 steals and leading the SuperSonics to the Western Conference Finals.

In 1993-94 everything came together for Payton. His outside shot began falling with regularity, to the tune of a 50.4 field goal percentage. He also averaged 16.5 points and 6.0 assists and ranked seventh in the league in steals with 2.3 a game. He earned his first All-Star selection, and at year's end was named to both the NBA All-Defensive First Team and the All-NBA Third Team.

The following year, after averaging a team-high 20.6 points on 50.9 percent shooting and finishing third in the league in steals at 2.5 per game, he repeated on the All-Defensive First Team and moved up to the All-NBA Second Team. At midseason Payton played in his second straight All-Star Game and recorded six points, five rebounds, 15 assists and three steals to finish runner-up to Mitch Richmond for the game's MVP award.

He climbed the final rung on the ladder in 1995-96 when he was voted to the All-NBA First Team after leading the Sonics to the NBA Finals. He led the league in steals (2.85), was the Defensive Player of the Year and was voted to the All-Defensive First Team. He averaged 19.3 ppg., second on the Sonics, had a team-high 7.5 apg., 10th in the NBA, and played a team-high 39.0 mpg., 12th in the NBA. He started 81 of 82 games, missing the March 15 contest to snap his consecutive games played streak at 354. In his third NBA All-Star Game, Payton had 18 points, five rebounds and five assists.

Taking part in the 1996 Olympic Games in Atlanta, Payton started in six of eight games and posted averages of 5.1 ppg., 3.1 rpg. and a team best 4.5 apg. as the U.S. cruised to an 8-0 record and the gold medal.

In 1996-97, Payton finished second behind shot blocker Dikembe Mutombo in balloting for Defensive Player of the Year honors, and led the Sonics with a career-high 21.8 ppg., ranking 10th in the NBA in scoring. He finished third in the league in steals at 2.4 spg. and 16th in assists at 7.1 apg. and sank a career-high 119 three-pointers. Payton started all 82 games for Seattle and recorded two triple-doubles. Voted to the starting team for the Western Conference All-Stars, he scored 17 points and handed out a team-high 10 assists in 28 minutes. In Seattle's 12 playoff games, Payton led the team with 23.8 ppg. and 8.7 rpg. In 1997-98 it was more of the same for Payton. Averaging a SuperSonics team high 19.8 points, Payton tallied a career best 679 assists to rank tied for sixth in the NBA with an 8.3 average, while ranking fourth in steals averaging 2.2 a game. Payton was named to his first All-NBA First Team and his fifth All-Defensive First Team.

Starting all 50 games in 1999, Payton led the Sonics in scoring (21.7 ppg.), assists (8.7 apg.), steals (2.2 spg.) and three-pointers attempted (281) and ranked second on the team three-pointers made (83). His ranking among the NBA stat leaders for '99 was equally impressive. Ranking sixth in the NBA in points averaged, he was third in triple-doubles, fourth in assists, sixth in minutes per game, seventh in steals, 11th in three-point field goals made and 17th in double-doubles. Selected to the 1998-99 All-NBA Second Team, he was also named to a sixth straight 1999 NBA All-Defensive First Team.

Playing for USA Basketball during the 1999 summer at the Pre-Olympic Qualifying Tournament of the Americas, Payton averaged 16.0 ppg, 4.6 assists, 2.6 rebounds and 1.8 steals and was selected as USA Basketball's 1999 Male Athlete of the Year for his efforts. In his 10th NBA season, all Payton did was record career bests for scoring (24.2 ppg.), assists (8.9 apg.), rebounds (6.5 rpg.) and three-point field goal percentage (.340). He ranked first in three-point field goals made, second in minutes played, fourth in assists, seventh in the NBA in scoring and eighth in steals. Named All-NBA First Team for the second time in his career, he was also selected for his six consecutive All-Star appearance and was also named NBA All-Defensive First Team for the seventh straight year, becoming just the sixth player in NBA history to earn NBA All-Defensive First Team honors seven times.

In his 10 NBA seasons, Payton has developed a reputation for his durability. Of a possible 788 regular season games in his career, he has played in 786, missing just one game in 1995-96 and one in 1991-92.

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Seattle Sonics Career Achievements