I first met basketball Hall-of-Famer Gary Payton in the spring of 1988 when I was an eighth-grade English and U.S. history teacher at Highland View Middle School in Corvallis, OR. At the time, Payton was a sophomore hoopster at Oregon State University (OSU). I had arranged with OSU Athletics' academic compliance officer, Michael Beachley, to have Payton and an OSU football player talk to my classes about "The Language of Sports," one of a series of such talks I had implemented to help pique my students' interest in language and its connections to a variety of vocations and avocations.
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| Gary Payton |
True confession: At the time, I had no idea who Payton was, other than that he was rumored to be a pretty good basketball player. My students, on the other hand, knew exactly who he was—and rather quickly made that fact clear to me. Before Beachley had a chance to introduce us, my students, along with several students from neighboring classrooms, swarmed Payton, shaking his hand, slapping him on the back, and asking for his autograph. Payton graciously engaged with them and complied with their requests, using a borrowed permanent marker to sign his name on T-shirts, sneakers, and Pee-Chees.
After the tardy bell rang and students scrambled back to their classrooms, Beachley finally had a chance to introduce Payton and me. Weirdly, as Payton stuck out his hand, he turned his face the other way, avoiding eye contact. His handshake was equally unimpressive—flaccid, like a dead fish. I couldn't discern whether his body language was a product of shyness, indifference, contempt, or simply a lack of socialization. Not that it really mattered, in the grand scheme, but in the petite moment I was just a bit put off.
Back in the classroom, my students were still abuzz from the excitement and it took me a minute to get them to settle down. They were, however, in their seats, all eyes forward, more attentive and receptive than I had seen them all year. Hmmm...maybe inviting semi-famous guest speakers was a good thing?
After everyone finally stopped buzzing, I introduced Mr. Payton and told the class that he was there to talk about the language of sports. But of course it wouldn't have mattered if Payton was there to talk about the threat of the tussock moth; my students were enthralled, ready to hang ten on any and every word that emerged from Payton's lips. Naturally, I had provided my students with something to do besides sit and listen; they were to answer, in writing, three questions about the language of sports on a worksheet I had provided them.
Unfortunately, what emerged from Payton's lips was about what one would expect from a teenager who had grown up in the rough part of Oakland, CA, and knew a lot more about sports than he did about language: a lot of "ums" and "uhs," "y'knows," "I dunnos," and just general mumbling and fumbling.
In other words, his speech was pretty much an example of…how not to speak.
So much for the "language" part.
But all was far from lost. My students were absolutely charmed by this totally real person, just a few years older than they were, who was a bonafide basketball phenomenon but an English language rookie. And my students seemed to understand that, despite his language challenges, Gary Payton was in college, trying to get an education, because he understood on some level that basketball might not be enough for him—or that it ultimately might not work out for him, due to injuries perhaps. In fact, the only lucid comment I remember Payton uttering during his "speech" was "Stay in school. Get an education." And my students were actually listening when he said it—because of who was saying it.
So, definitely a win.
Speaking of wins, Payton went on to achieve the following (a partial list):
- Consensus All-American, a three-time All-Pac-10 selection, and both the Pac-10 Defensive Player of the Year and conference Freshman of the Year in 1987.
- Featured in the cover story of Sports Illustrated on March 5, 1989, as the nation's best college basketball player
- MVP of the Far West Classic tournament three times, the Pac-10 Player of the Week nine times, and named to the Pac-10's All-Decade Team
- At the time of his graduation, Payton held the school record for points, field goals, three-point field goals, assists, and steals—all of which he still holds today except for career points and three-point field goals
- During his career at OSU, the Beavers made three NCAA tournament appearances and one NIT appearance
- Second overall pick in the 1990 NBA draft by the Seattle SuperSonics
- Made the All-NBA First-Team in 1998 and 2000; All-NBA Second Team in 1995, 1996, 1997, 1999, and 2002; and All-NBA Third Team in 1994 and 2001
- Selected to the NBA All-Defensive First Team a record nine consecutive seasons (1994–2002), and won the NBA Defensive Player of the Year Award in 1996, the first point guard to win the aw
- Selected to the NBA All-Star Team nine times
- Member of the gold medal-winning 1996 and 2000 U.S. Men's Olympic Basketball Teams
- In 1996, Payton and the SuperSonics reached the NBA Finals after winning a franchise record 64 games—and lost in six games to Michael Jordan's Chicago Bulls
- Elected into OSU's Sports Hall of Fame in 1996
- Nicknamed "The Glove" in reference to his defensive skills
- Set up The Gary Payton Foundation in 1996 to provide safe places for recreational activity, and to help underprivileged youth in his hometown of Oakland…stay in school
Payton was, needless to say, incredible. And I was, needless to say, honored and proud that I not only "knew him when" but had invited him to give one of the most memorable speeches ever, to a classroom full of the most riveted eighth-grade students ever.
Most of whom, I'm happy to say, stayed in school.
After I posted this story on my Facebook page, Larry Bafia, a former employee of Will Vinton Studios (with whom I also used to work) commented that he had directed this video featuring a clay-animated Gary Payton:
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