Gary Payton II was a popular guy Thursday at Bankers Life Fieldhouse as the Oregon State product was one of six prospects to work out for the Pacers.
About half of the questions he answered seemed to relate to his father and growing up in the NBA. He handled it well.
Payton II says he’s family with Nate McMillan, the Pacers new head coach. Unfortunately, McMillan was unable to attend the workout, but Payton II discussed “Uncle Nate.” The obvious connection is that his dad played for the Super Sonics as McMillan was a player and then the coach.
He’s known for his defense, so that’s one of the items he’s tried to stress in these pre-draft workouts. He’s a left-handed — although while being a lefty is typically an advantage, he said it must’ve skipped over him.
Last season at Oregon State, Payton II averaged 16.0 points, 7.8 rebounds (!!!), and 5.0 assists per game.
Watch what Payton had to say following his workout below: