“Lot of teammates don’t be as close as us three are after basketball” – Gary Payton on why he keeps close ties with his old SuperSonics teammates originally appeared on Basketball Network.
There are basketball teams that win games, and then there are teams that leave behind a legacy — something more emotional than what shows up in the standings. For Gary Payton, the legendary point guard whose career spanned nearly two decades, that legacy isn’t just about records or playoff runs. It’s about relationships.
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And when he talks about his bond with his former Seattle SuperSonics teammates, it’s clear that what they built together went far beyond the court.
Still bonded
The NBA, for all its glamour, is also a grind. Teams are built, broken and rebuilt again in a matter of years. The camaraderie often dissolves the moment players change jerseys.
But for GP, the connection with some of his mates at Seattle didn’t expire with their contracts.
“We were very tight,” the iconic point guard said. “Me and Shawn [Kemp] is very tight. Me and Coach [Geroge] Karl is very tight. But you got to understand, if we were to play each other, went through the stuff that we went through, a lot of teammates don’t be as close as us three are after basketball or your sport is over.”
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The Sonics of the 1990s were electric. With “The Glove’s” defensive fire, Shawn Kemp’s thunderous dunks and George Karl’s intense sideline presence, they became one of the most exciting teams in the NBA. Though they never captured a championship — falling short in the 1996 NBA Finals to Michael Jordan’s Chicago Bulls — they captured chemistry that has lasted decades after the final buzzer.
That “stuff” wasn’t light. It was the kind of pressure that either breaks a group or forges something deeper. From bitter playoff exits to front-office friction to constant scrutiny in a competitive Western Conference, the Sonics weathered a lot.
Yet the bond between the core remained firm. Even after the franchise was controversially relocated to Oklahoma City in 2008, leaving Seattle without an NBA team, Gary remained a constant presence in honoring its history. He’s been vocal about Seattle’s need to get a team back, and he’s frequently seen at reunions and charity events with former teammates.
Payton staying connected
This kind of post-career loyalty isn’t typical in professional sports. Most players move on. Some fall out of touch. Others let the bitterness of losses linger. But Payton, known for his trash talk and relentless competitiveness, softened as the years went by.
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During his 17-year career, “The Glove” racked up nine NBA All-Star appearances, made nine All-Defensive First Teams and remains the only point guard to have ever won NBA Defensive Player of the Year. Yet what sticks most are the bonds formed.
That’s where the conversation shifts from tactics and titles to something far more human. For the gritty guard, the moments after basketball have only intensified the meaning of what they shared in those years.
“It means so much to me because all that stuff is over,” the Hall of Famer said, reflecting on his bond with his former teammate and coach. “We met each other through that. Now it’s like a family, a brotherhood and I like that more.”
It was a relationship built on the foundation of battles fought together. When Payton and Kemp reunite today, they check in, share stories and support each other. Coach Karl, who battled cancer in later years, received nothing but public support from his former players, with Gary and Shawn showing up in both words and presence.
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The SuperSonics weren’t the most decorated team of the era, but their impact on Seattle, the game, and each other has proven enduring.
From the 1996 Finals run to the fiery playoff clashes with the Utah Jazz and Houston Rockets, their resume is studded with unforgettable moments. Yet those moments were stepping stones to something more meaningful, a lasting brotherhood.
In 2013, the same year Payton was inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame, he used part of his speech to salute his teammates — Kemp most notably and the franchise that shaped him.
This story was originally reported by Basketball Network on Jun 9, 2025, where it first appeared.