Payton II Named To NABC All-District Team
CORVALLIS, Ore. – Gary Payton II was selected to the National Association of Basketball Coaches (NABC) Division I All-District 20 Second Team, as selected and voted on by member coaches of the NABC on Friday.
Payton II has earned numerous awards this season. He was selected to the U.S. Basketball Writers Association (USBWA) All-District-IX Team, voted the Pac-12 Defensive Player of the Year and named to the All-Pac-12 First Team and All-Defensive Team.
A transfer from Salt Lake Community College, Payton II dominated on both ends of the court, becoming just the second player in Oregon State history to lead the team in scoring, rebounding and steals (Lester Connor, 1981-82). He had a steal in all 31 games, the second-longest streak in school history, trailing only his father, the legendary Gary Payton, who had a steal in 37 consecutive games from February1989 to March1990.
Payton II had 92 steals, the second most in Oregon State single-season history and the fifth most in Pac-12 history, trailing only Jason Kidd of California (110 in 1992-93), Gary Payton of Oregon State (100 in 1989-90), Jordan Adams of UCLA (95 in 2013-14) and Jeff Trepagnier of USC (94 in 1999-00).
The lefty guard also had seven double-doubles this season and posted just the second triple-double in school history with 10 points, 12 rebounds and 10 assists against Grambling State. His father recorded the only other triple-double on Nov. 26, 1988 when he had 20 points, 14 rebounds and 11 assists against Portland at Gill Coliseum.
Payton II was named Pac-12 Player of the Week on Jan. 26 after averaging 18.5 points, 8.5 rebounds and 3.5 steals in wins over UCLA and USC.
NABC All-District 20 Team
First Team
Joseph Young Oregon
Delon Wright Utah
Chasson Randle Stanford
T.J. McConnell Arizona
Stanley Johnson Arizona
Second Team
Norman Powell UCLA
Tyrone Wallace California
Gary Payton II Oregon State
Kevon Looney UCLA
Askia Booker Colorado
Located in Kansas City, MO, the NABC was founded in 1927 by Phog Allen, the legendary basketball coach at the University of Kansas. Allen, a student of James Naismith, the inventor of basketball, organized coaches into this collective group to serve as Guardians of the Game. The NABC currently has nearly 5,000 members consisting primarily of university and college men’s basketball coaches. All members of the NABC are expected to uphold the core values of being a Guardian of the Game by bringing attention to the positive aspects of the sport of basketball and the role coaches play in the academic and athletic lives of today’s student-athletes. The four core values of being a Guardian of the Game are advocacy, leadership, service and education. Additional information about the NABC, its programs and membership, can be found at www.nabc.com.
