Photo Credit: AP Phot

Gary Payton II Confirms There’s No Bad Blood Between Him And Dillon Brooks After Controversial Play

Gary Payton II is still out for the foreseeable future due to a fractured left elbow that he suffered during Game 2 of the Western Conference semifinals. 

The injury happened after Memphis Grizzlies guard Dillon Brooks swiped him in the head during a layup attempt in transition, which took place with less than three minutes into the first quarter of Game 2.

Brooks has received plenty of heat since then, but he later insisted that he never intended to cause an injury to Payton II, while admitting that he regretted taking that hard foul in transition. 

Weeks after the controversial play between the two players, Payton II had the chance to clear things up and open up his current relationship with the 26-year old Grizzlies player. 

According to the defensive Warriors guard, Brooks already apologized to him personally after they closed out the series in Game 6, and later confirmed that there’s no bad blood between them.

Per NBC Sports:

“Also, for the record: There’s no bad blood between me and Dillon Brooks. After we closed out Game 6, I got word that he wanted to talk outside the locker room, and when I got there he apologized. I give Dillon a lot of credit for that — no text, no social media, nothing indirect. He came in person, and we talked like grown men. He told me he didn’t mean to hurt me. I believe him.”