Gary Payton II’s basketball pedigree is no secret. He’s named after his father, after all. And we’ve all seen Gary Payton Sr on the sidelines of NBA games, cheering for his son or chirping at current NBA players. But you see, it runs much deeper than that. And every step on that journey helped him graduate from a perennial G-League player to sharing the stage with Steph Curry.

From the lessons dunked into him by his Hall of Famer father to the patient guidance of his mother, who saw beyond his struggles, Gary II’s ascent is as much about heritage and heart as it is about hoops. So let’s take a minute to learn more about the Golden State Warriors star’s journey. 

Who is Gary Payton II’s father?

Before he found himself talking smack to Kevin Durant at a Suns-Warriors game in 2025, Gary “The Glove” Payton was a point guard in the NBA. And he was a pretty good one at that. His résumé includes stints with the Seattle SuperSonics, Miami Heat, and Los Angeles Lakers. He was renowned for his lockdown defense and trash‑talking flair. And Payton Sr. brought that same intensity to fatherhood.

“Listen, my son didn’t come up bad,” Payton Sr. admitted at his son’s recent charity mixer. “But I was going at him a lot, telling him he wasn’t going to make it…and things like that.” What sounds harsh was, in Payton Sr.’s own words, “tough love”—the same recipe his father, Al “Mr. Mean” Payton, used on him. Over time, that tough love paid dividends: Payton II learned resilience, grit, and an unshakeable work ethic that eventually helped him rack up championship minutes with Golden State.

And while Payton Sr. once admitted, “I don’t care about basketball…I really don’t,” his true pride came from who his son became off the court. “Every time somebody walks up to me, they tell me how great of a human being my son is,” he said, wiping away any doubt that his parenting style was all heart.

Who is Gary Payton II’s mother?

If Dad is the raging fire, Monique James is the steady flame. A former Oregon State basketball player, Monique met Gary Sr. in Corvallis and went on to become Gary II’s first coach and biggest cheerleader. From those backyard drills to organized youth leagues, she taught him fundamentals—and, more importantly, how to love the game.

Academics weren’t always smooth sailing. Monique recalls her son “mumbling to himself” over homework, struggling to keep pace with classmates. After a fourth‑grade teacher suggested a dyslexia evaluation, Monique got defensive at first. But soon she agreed. “I felt guilty because I was so hard on him,” she later said. But once the diagnosis came, she marshaled resources: nightly reading sessions, one‑on‑one tutoring, and a framework that turned a stumbling block into a stepping stone.

Her hands‑on approach paid off. Today, Payton II not only holds a bachelor’s degree from Oregon State but also credits his mom for teaching him “this is how I learn—my way.”

How did Gary Payton II’s parents contribute to his success?

Put simply, Gary II wouldn’t be who he is without that dual‑parent playbook. From Dad, he inherited an iron‑clad will. “That kind of grit is enticing,” Warriors coach Steve Kerr once said of Payton II’s journey. One that took him through multiple G League stops before finally sticking in the NBA. It’s a tribute to the resilience drilled into him by his father’s exacting standards.

From Mom, he got structure and support off the court. Monique’s insistence on reading 20–30 minutes a night for all her kids.  Her refusal to let dyslexia define him. You see, all this gave Gary II the academic confidence he needed. As he put it, “We got the help I needed to figure it out—my way of learning—and…made things make sense to me.”

Together, they’ve shaped a player who’s as ferocious on defense as he is thoughtful off the floor. Whether he’s pestering ball‑handlers or mentoring young fans through his foundation, Payton II carries both his parents’ legacies. His father’s competitive fire and his mother’s compassion and guidance. And in the end, that blend of toughness and tenderness is what makes Gary Payton II a name both on and off the stat sheet.

Looking ahead, Gary II honors his parents’ teachings every time he steps on the court or engages with the community. His future chapters are sure to be written in the same spirit of grit and grace his family instilled. It’s living proof that the best game plan starts at home.