Payton II Earns Prestigious Pac-12 Honors
CORVALLIS, Ore. – Gary Payton II was voted the Pac-12 Defensive Player of the Year and named to the All-Pac-12 First Team and All-Defensive Team as selected by a vote of the conference coaches, Commissioner Larry Scott announced Monday.
Payton II becomes the third Oregon State player to be named the Pac-12 Defensive Player of the Year, joining his father Gary Payton (1986-87) and Seth Tarver (2009-10). After the elder Payton won the honor in 1987, the league discontinued the award until it was reinstated in 2008.
A transfer from Salt Lake Community College, Payton II has been dominant on both ends of the floor, leading the Beavers in scoring, rebounding, steals and minutes played. He has at least one steal in every game and is currently second in the nation with 3.07 per contest.
His 92 steals are 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).
Payton II is third in the Pac-12 in rebounding (7.5) and seventh in blocked shots (1.2). He set the Oregon State single-game record with seven blocks against Colorado.
He also has 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.
Oregon State is on pace to set school records for scoring defense, field goal percentage defense and 3-point field goal percentage defense, which has helped them secure a winning season, just the program’s third since 1990. The Beavers set school records this season for best start at home (14-0), most home victories (15) and single-game team blocked shots (13).
The Beavers now have 32 All-Pac-12 selections since 1979. Steve Johnson, A.C. Green, Charlie Sitton and Payton each earned All-Pac-12 First Team honors three times. Payton II is the first OSU player to be named to the first team since Jared Cunningham in 2012.
Oregon State opens the Pac-12 Tournament at 6:10 p.m. on Wednesday against Colorado at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas. The Beavers are the No. 7 seed and the Buffaloes are the No. 10 seed. The game will be televised on the Pac-12 Networks.
Oregon State Players To Be Named Pac-12 Defense Player of the Year
From 1984 to 1987 and 2008 to present.
1987 — Gary Payton
2010 — Seth Tarver
2015 — Gary Payton II
Oregon State Players To Be Named To The Pac-12 All-Defensive Team
From 2008 to present.
2010 — Seth Tarver
2011 — Jared Cunningham
2012 — Jared Cunningham
2013 — Eric Moreland (hm)
2014 — Eric Moreland (hm)
2015 — Gary Payton II
Oregon State Players To Earn All-Pac-12 Honors
From 1979 to present.
1979 — Steve Johnson
1980 — Ray Blume
1980 — Steve Johnson
1981 — Ray Blume
1981 — Steve Johnson
1981 — Mark Radford
1982 — Lester Conner
1982 — Charlie Sitton
1983 — A.C. Green
1983 — Charlie Sitton
1984 — A.C. Green
1984 — Charlie Sitton
1985 — A.C. Green
1986 — Jose Ortiz
1987 — Jose Ortiz
1988 — Gary Payton
1989 — Gary Payton
1990 — Gary Payton
1991 — Teo Alibegovic
1992 — Scott Haskin
1993 — Scott Haskin
1995 — Brent Barry
1999 — Deaundra Tanner
2003 — Philip Ricci
2004 — David Lucas
2005 — David Lucas
2010 — Calvin Haynes (2nd)
2011 — Jared Cunningham (2nd)
2012 — Jared Cunningham
2013 — Roberto Nelson (hm)
2014 — Roberto Nelson (2nd)
2015 — Gary Payton II
