“One Man’s Opinion” by Gordon Curvey

I write this blog with a big smile on my face because of the high respect I have for this cat. This blog is about “The Glove” Gary Payton. It will be announced that GP will enter the Basketball Hall Of Fame later this year. This is a great day for Gary and a great day for Sonic basketball fans.

Gary Payton and Ken Griffey Jr. and my good friend “The Reign Man” Shawn Kemp kept Seattle on the sports map. GP was dynamic on defense. No one wanted GP to watch them on D. Because they know that PLENTY of trash would be coming from Payton’s mouth. But the difference is GP would back the trash talk up. On defense AND offense GP would back his talk up with pull up jumpers and drives to the hoop, alley oops passes to Kemp and skin tight D. That was GP.

But Gary Payton was dynamic on the court and off the court. With his Gary Payton Foundation he did a TREMENDOUS amount of work in Seattle’s inner city for the kids. For instance one Xmas holiday GP asked for the Bon Marche dept store to shut down early so kids can get what ever they wanted for Xmas. He bought thousands of tickets of kids to attend Sonic games at Key Arena. He visited many schools to talk to kids about staying in school and much more.

Gary Payton talked trash. Even to the great and legendary Micheal Jordan! He did not care. That was GP. He is one of the greatest point guards in NBA history. Guys like Seattle natives Jamal Crawford and Jason “The Jet” Terry and Nate Robinson and the young Tony Wroten Jr. and many others looked up to Payton. and he took some of them under his wings and taught them the game of basketball here in Seattle.

Hopefully we can celebrate “Gary Payton Day” here in Seattle next fall before a SONIC BASKETBALL GAME AT KEY ARENA!! I am saying a prayer every night for that day. And then we can follow that day with a “Shawn Kemp Day” and of course for baseball when Grif Jr. is elected to baseball’s Hall of Fame a “Ken Griffey Jr. Day” at Safeco Field. We will be talking more about GP going into the Basketball Hall Of Fame in future editions of SIC.