Widely considered one of the greatest point guards of all time, he is best known for his 13-year tenure with the Seattle SuperSonics, where he holds franchise records in assists and steals and led them to an NBA Finals appearance.

At one point, he wanted to attend The University of Texas at El Paso, but Don Haskins later rescinded his offer after Payton was deciding between UTEP and St.

During his senior season in 1989–90, Payton was featured in the cover story of Sports Illustrated on March 5 as the nation's best college basketball player.

He joined Slick Watts and Nate McMillan as the only SuperSonics' players to have dished out 16 or more assists in his rookie season.

However, he soon proved himself to be one of the league's top point guards, while, during the 1990s Payton, alongside Shawn Kemp formed the "Sonic Boom".

Payton led the Bucks in scoring (18.5) and assists (8.7) during the series, which included a 20-point, 14-assist performance in a Game 4 Milwaukee win.

As an unrestricted free agent prior to the 2003–04 season, Payton, along with Karl Malone, signed with the Los Angeles Lakers to make a run at their first NBA Championship.

Payton started in all 82 games and averaged 14.6 points with 5.5 assists and 1.2 steals, but struggled with Lakers coach Phil Jackson's triangle offense, which limited his ball-handling and post-up opportunities.

[16][17] Payton provided offense in games where superstar teammates Shaquille O'Neal or Kobe Bryant could not play due to injury, including a 30-point outburst in an overtime win against the Cleveland Cavaliers on February 4.

Prior to the 2004–05 season, the Lakers traded Payton and Rick Fox to the Boston Celtics for center Chris Mihm, small forward Jumaine Jones and point guard Chucky Atkins.

While Payton expressed displeasure with the trade, he ultimately did report to Boston and began the 2004–05 season as the Celtics' starting point guard.

On February 24, 2005, Payton was traded to the Atlanta Hawks in a deal that brought former Celtic Antoine Walker back to Boston.

On September 22, 2005, he signed a one-year $1.1 million contract with Miami, reuniting with Walker (who was acquired seven weeks earlier by the Heat), as well as former Lakers' teammate Shaquille O'Neal.

In Game 1 of the Eastern Conference Finals on the road against the Detroit Pistons, Payton scored 14 points on 6-of-8 shooting, helping the Heat set the tone in the series.

In Game 5, Payton scored 8 points, including Miami's final field goal with 29 seconds left, to help clinch a one-point victory.

He received the fourth-most technical fouls of all time (behind Karl Malone, Charles Barkley, and Rasheed Wallace) with 250.

[22] Payton's nickname of "The Glove" in reference to his defensive skills was popularized during the 1993 Western Conference Finals series against Phoenix.

When asked to classify the best players in each position of the late 1990s and early 21st century, NBA coach George Karl said of Payton, "I don't know who else you'd take at point guard.

His defensive prowess was once described by Kevin Johnson:"You think of guys with great hands, like Maurice Cheeks and Derek Harper.

"[25]Offensively, Payton was not a particularly strong shooter, but was much more physical than most point guards of his era, preferring to use his 6 ft 4 in (1.93 m) body frame and strength to shield defenders on his way to the basket or posting up his opponent in an isolation play.

Also, he, Jordan, Kevin Garnett, and Kobe Bryant share the record for most career NBA All-Defensive First Team selections, with nine.

[27] Payton is also considered one of the best defensive opponents of Michael Jordan,[28] and the two players had a high-profile rivalry that culminated in the 1996 NBA Finals.

Both were prodigious "trash talkers"[29] (Larry Johnson once named Payton, Jordan and himself the best three trash talkers in the league),[30] had legendary competitiveness, and as the 1997 NBA Preview magazine stated, "Payton [was] quick, and strong as an ox", making him the kind of player who could frustrate Jordan defensively.

In Game 6, which the Bulls won to capture the Championship, Payton played 47 minutes and Jordan missed 14 of his 19 shots, getting a career Finals low 22 points.

[37] Gary II has played for the Milwaukee Bucks, Los Angeles Lakers, Washington Wizards, Portland Trail Blazers, and the Golden State Warriors, where he won the NBA Championship.

[42] Payton has appeared in Eddie (1996), Like Mike (2002), The Lego Movie 2: The Second Part (2019), and also performed a speaking role in the 1999 comedy film The Breaks.

[44] He set up The Gary Payton Foundation[45] in 1996 to provide safe places for recreational activity, and to help underprivileged youth in his hometown of Oakland stay in school.

For the Christmas of 2003 he took 10 families from the Ronald McDonald House in Los Angeles and let each of the over 40 children have a $100 shopping spree at FAO Schwarz.

[47] During the 2021 NHL Expansion Draft for the Seattle Kraken, he made an appearance alongside former teammate Shawn Kemp.

When Sonicsgate won a Webby Award for Best Sports Film, Payton gave the acceptance speech, which consisted solely of the five words "Bring back our Seattle SuperSonics.