Gary Payton Makes NBA Hall Of Fame

Gary Payton has been elected to the NBA Hall of Fame.

The Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame will officially announce the class of 2013 next week. College coach Rick Pitino and New York Knicks player Bernard King are expected to be inducted alongside Gary Payton.

The Sonics guard confirmed the news to NBA.com reporter Scott Howard-Cooper.

Cooper wrote on Twitter: Gary Payton very excited yesterday after getting word he had been elected to the Hall of Fame. Official announcement coming Monday.

Payton spent the first 12 years of his career with the Seattle Super Sonics. He also played with the Milwaukee Bucks, the Los Angeles Lakers, and the Miami Heat during his 17 year NBA career.

Payton has the most points, assists, and steals in Seattle Super Sonics history and has the fourth most steals (2,445) among all NBA players. Payton also ended his career eighth in assists (8,966).

Nicknamed the Glove, Payton earned a reputation as one of the toughest defensive point guards in NBA history. He became the first point guard to win the Defensive Player of the Year Award and was named to the NBA’s All-Defensive Team nine times.

Thanks for the love everyone….incredible honor, couldnt have done it without my great fans who backed me n motivated me thru-out my career

— Gary Payton (@GaryPayton_20) April 5, 2013

Thanks everyone for your love never would of got this far if I didn’t have all of u thanks a lot

— Gary Payton (@GaryPayton_20) April 5, 2013

Here’s a video about Gary Payton’s Hall of Fame career.