Gary Payton 's extraordinary talent on the basketball court was undeniable, yet his temperamental nature presented unique challenges for coaches, as George Karl experienced this firsthand during his stint with the Seattle SuperSonics.
While many of GP's 250 technical fouls stemmed from harmless trash-talking directed at the opponents, there were instances where his behavior crossed boundaries, even with teammates. The ugly and notorious altercation with Ricky Pierce is a prime example of Payton's tendency to occasionally overstep interpersonal limits.
Payton got into feuds with Pierce and George Karl
During Game 2 of their 1994 playoff series against the Denver Nuggets, tensions escalated between Pierce and Payton. The former expressed dissatisfaction with The Glove's ball distribution while the players headed towards the locker room at halftime. Known for his intolerance of disrespect, even from senior players, Payton reacted vehemently.
Though the two players were initially separated, things went haywire in an instant as both players resorted to making extreme threats, including menacing each other's families. Coach Karl, witnessing this street fight brawl between his two marquee players, was left in a state of disbelief and shock.
"I didn't see the first outbreak, but he (Payton) and Ricky Pierce got into some kind of a discussion at halftime of the first Denver game, and they were threatening to get guns," Karl said . "The players told me they had guns in their bags. It was, 'I'll kill your family.' It was crazy."
The tension between the team escalated further, and he lost his composure with Coach Karl following a defeat in Game 4, necessitating assistant coach Tim Grgurich's intervention. This internal strife had a profound impact on the team's performance.
Despite initially taking a 2-0 lead, the SuperSonics lost the subsequent three games, becoming the first No. 1 seed to be eliminated in the first round by the No. 8 seed - simply because of an apparent internal discord.
These incidents shed light on why Seattle, despite its dynamic style of play characterized by alley-oops and tomahawk dunking, never achieved championship success. The team's potential was ultimately undermined by internal conflicts driven by the egos of its star members, tearing apart the cohesiveness required for true greatness in the NBA.
Payton never left his disdain for Karl
Coach Karl's stern ways made him unpopular with many players, including Payton, Carmelo Anthony, and Kenyon Martin.
Payton once said he was initially excited about Karl replacing KC Jones as the Sonics' head coach. However, working with him soon led to frustration. Moreover, the 6'4" point guard admitted they found more understanding and support from Grgurich, preferring him over Karl's constant bickering.
"I used to want to kill George's a** every other f***ing day," Payton said . "I wanted to beat his head in, you know what I'm saying."
Safe to say, players never like to be bossed around, and when you're 'Gary Dwayne Payton Sr,' it's no surprise that anyone holding you back is in trouble.
Related: "You gotta pay dues like I paid dues" - Why Gary Payton appreciated Xavier McDaniel putting him in a sleeper hold
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