Photo by Noah Graham/NBAE via Getty Images

One Year Ago, Gary Payton II Was About To Interview To Become A Video Coordinator, Now He Singed A $28 Million Contract 

Last week, during the opening days of the 2022 NBA offseason, NBA Champion Gary Payton II signed a 3 year, $28 million deal with the Portland Trail Blazer.

This news was a shock to many Golden State Warriors fans, as Payton not only was a key contributor to this year’s championship, but also a fan favorite. But as sad as they all were, they also were very understanding, due to it being Payton’s first big contract of his career.

The fact he singed a contract like this, is a fairytale story by itself, even more so if we take a look back to last year.

After being cut from the Warriors roster before the start of the 2021-22 season, Payton was about to call it quits on his active playing career and was about to interview for a video coordination position within the Warriors’ coaching staff.

His decision to stay with the team, even though he just got cut, impressed the Warriors who really loved Payton’s dedication, so they brought him back to the team, rather than letting him become a video coordinator.

The rest is history – Gary Payton II made his presence felt for the Golden State Warriors this past season, as his defensive capability especially continued to sustain playing time, all the way to the NBA Finals.