Former NBA star Gary Payton didn’t feel like he was dragged over by popular debates about his matchup with Michael Jordan.
It is no secret that in the 1990s there were no players as big as Jordan. After all, he led the Chicago Bulls to six NBA championships with a perfect 6-0 record in the final.
Speaking of MJ’s games, the Hall of Fame had many skills, but his scoring ability was no match for anyone in his time.
Clearly, stopping Jordan was considered Hercules’ job. But former NBA star Gary Payton was often known as “Jordan Stopper” thanks to his impressive defensive skills.
The Seattle Supersonics icon has recently appeared at the Budxnba House event in Mumbai. During the event, Payton answered many questions.
NBA Analytics Network Aaditya Krishnamurthy was one of the attendees, where he asked Payton about his idea of being called “Jordan Stopper.” Surprisingly, the gloves have nothing to do with that tag.
“I don’t care about being the best defender at Michael Jordan. That doesn’t mean anyone. I was the best defender for everyone. I don’t care about that,” Payton said.
He added: “I’m protecting everyone. He wasn’t the focus for me. Everyone in the NBA was the focus for me.”
Jordan may not be Peyton’s focus, but history suggests that the Bulls star struggled most against him. When the two stars met in the 1996 NBA Finals, the Bulls registered the Super Sonics for a 4-2 victory.
However, that was the only thing fans saw MJ average under 30.0 points in the NBA Finals Series. Payton held Jordan to 27.3 points in the six-game series. Due to context, Jordan averaged 33.6 points per game over 35 NBA Finals matchups in his career.
Regardless of the times, two-way superstars are undoubtedly the most valuable asset a team can have on the roster. Jordan, Kobe Bryant, LeBron James and others, all of these superstars were ridiculously two-way players in their career primes.
But Payton believes he is the first true two-way star the league has seen, and he hopes his NBA legacy reflects that.
“I remember as the first two-way basketball player playing on both ends of the floor. I started it. I really didn’t mind scoring. I was concerned about stopping their best players.”
But what was the reason behind this obsession with defense?
“If I stop them, they stop their basketball team because they can’t function without them. And that’s what it’s all for me. My legacy started out for defense,” explained Payton.
He concluded by saying: “People say it’s great. I love it. But my legacy started with me being a complete basketball player. Both ends of the floor. To sacrifice my game.
“If you’re struggling with an offensive end, don’t worry about attacking. Focus on defense and try to stop other teams from winning basketball games.”
Payton certainly managed to leave an incredible legacy, even in 2025, as conversations about the greatest defensive player of all time are not perfect without the Glove’s name.