NBA legend Gary Payton strongly rejects idea of Oklahoma City Thunder retiring his jersey

Alejandro Lopez Vega — Tue, 15 Jul 2025 22:53:05 -0400

Gary Payton was a star in the NBA for nearly two decades, but the Hall of Famer has made it clear he wants no part in receiving a jersey retirement tribute from the Oklahoma City Thunder.

During the 1990s and early 2000s, Gary Payton was among the league’s top point guards. He spent years making his mark in the NBA, becoming a fan favorite before retiring in 2007. But when the idea of the Oklahoma City Thunder retiring his jersey came up, Payton was quick — and emphatic — in his opposition.

“Them (expletive) be talking about retired jersey in Oklahoma City,” Payton said in an appearance on Adam Ray’s 420 Show. “(Expletive) Oklahoma City because I ain’t never been there.”

Indeed, GP spent the prime of his career with the Seattle SuperSonics. Selected with the No. 2 overall pick in the 1990 NBA Draft, he remained with the franchise until 2003. Over those years, the guard dazzled fans, earning 9 All-Star selections, 2 All-NBA First Team honors, a Defensive Player of the Year award, and leading the league in steals in 1996.

However, the SuperSonics no longer exist, after the franchise relocated in 2008 due to disputes with the city of Seattle over a new arena. The team has since become the Oklahoma City Thunder.

Guard Gary Payton playing for the Seattle Supersonics

Why does Payton reject honors from the Thunder?

While the Thunder are technically the SuperSonics’ successor, Payton doesn’t see any connection between his time in Seattle and the franchise currently based in Oklahoma City. “It ain’t no better than the Seattle fans. I don’t give a (expletive) about what nobody say,” he said.

Payton went on to explain why he has no interest in having his jersey retired by the Thunder — and why the same would likely apply to another Seattle icon, Shawn Kemp. “Let’s make it real. Me and Shawn never played in front of Oklahoma City. We didn’t never play in front of their fans. So why should we give them the pleasure of what we started in Seattle to retire our jersey? Our fans should be having that pleasure,” said the 2006 NBA champion with the Miami Heat.

Payton has plans for the SuperSonics’ return

Since the SuperSonics left the league, Seattle fans have long awaited the return of an NBA team. Payton, whose identity is deeply tied to the city’s basketball legacy, is just as eager for that day to come.

“When the Sonics come back, and mostly we gonna be a part of that, we’re gonna retire Shawn and Detlef’s (Schrempf) jerseys first,” Payton said. “That’s what we want to do, so everybody will get a feel of what’s happening. We’re the three that did that ’90s stuff.”

Which jerseys have been retired by the SuperSonics and the Thunder?

While still active in the NBA, the Seattle SuperSonics retired six jerseys: Gus Williams (No. 1), Nathaniel McMillan (No. 10), Lenny Wilkens (No. 19), Spencer Haywood (No. 24), Fred Brown (No. 32), and Jack Sikma (No. 43).

The Oklahoma City Thunder did not continue that tradition and, notably, none of those jerseys are displayed in Paycom Center. In their 17 seasons as a franchise, the only number the Thunder have retired is No. 4, in honor of Nick Collison.

NBA News: Paolo Banchero overtakes the 15-year Kevin Durant's major rookie milestone

mmedrano — Wed, 26 Oct 2022 22:12:17 -0400

Paolo Banchero's rookie seasonis getting all the attentionafter a long time for a new player in the NBA. In fact, he is overtaking a major Kevin Durant's milestone when he was a rookie as well.

Paolo Banchero’s rookie season with the Orlando Magic is starting to look likea potential ROY award winner. However, its early in the season to be 100% sure. Although, Banchero is already proving himself as the next big star in the NBA, as he know has overtaken the 15-year milestone that put Kevin Durant on the radarin his rookie seasonafterjust five games in the league.

Although this doesn’t mean that he will have similar or remotely near like Durant’s professional career in the NBA. It’s a good way to watch one of the most promising stars fulfilling the expectations, as the other one in the 2022 NBA Draft Class, Chet Holgrem couldn’t do it due to aseason-ending injury.

In fact, this milestone just means he has performed as the leader that Orlando Magic needat a time like this where they are currently in a new rebuild that has led to them being one of the worst teams in the recent past of the NBA. As well as the expected no-playoff-contentionNBA franchise.

NBA News: Paolo Banchero overtakes Kevin Durant in a major rookie milestone

During his first official week as anNBA player, Paolo Banchero has proved himself to others that he was the right holder for the No.1 pick overall in the 2022 NBA Draft. In fact, Banchero currently got his first five games with 20+ points each, and was the 7th player to do so, but it was the youngest as a 19-year and 11 months old NBA player.

However, that’s only the beginning of this story. In the first 22 NBA seasons of this century, only three NBA rookies pulled up more than 100 points in their first 5 NBA games. Those players were Dajuan Wagner with 104 points as a Cleveland Cavaliers’ player in the 2002-2003 season,Kendrick Nunn with 112 points as a Miami Heat’s player, and Kevin Durant with 113 points as a Seattle Supersonics’ player.