"That’s what we had and that’s what a leader is about" - Gary Payton reveals what he and Michael Jordan had in common
Michael Jordan and Gary Payton were legendary players both known for their competitive spirits and ability to get into each other's heads during games. MJ often killed his opponents' confidence with his subtle yet profound jabbers, while "The Glove" enjoyed getting under his matchups' skin by constantly being loud.
However, Payton said that one thing he and Jordan had in common was their ability to quickly shift to serious mode from being playful with their trash-talking. For GP, it was what separated him and "His Airness" from other notable team leaders of their generation.
"If they know when you get serious and when you're playing, they'll know: 'Gary's ready to go, he's ready to do it.' Michael Jordan had that all the time," Payton told Rolling Stone in 2014. "Those guys would be down sometimes and all of a sudden he'd come in there and clap his hands and say, 'Let's go, let's go, let's go. It's time.' That's what we had and that's what a leader is about. You gotta be able to do that and say 'It's time to stop playing."
Payton's silence was a signal
Throughout his stellar NBA career, Payton proved that he could never back down from a challenge. He utilized his savage trash-talking to distract his opponents and gain a psychological edge. Over time, Payton's teammates got used to his style.
In fact, "The Glove" revealed that once he fell silent during games, his teammates knew he already meant business. They understood that Payton's silence was not a sign of weakness but rather a display of intense concentration and determination. The transition from his usual energetic and talkative self to a more reserved and focused state clearly indicated to his teammates that it was time to kick it up a notch.
While his silence served as a signal to get serious, Payton said he still talked a bit. However, his teammates could tell that the message was different.
"When I was talking a lot of trash, a lot of the guys knew that when I started getting serious was when I started getting a little bit quieter. If I started locking up somebody, then I'd start talking even more and I'd talk more aggressive. But once I stopped, they knew I was really serious. The trash-talking would get serious. 'Come on. Get me the ball, there's a mouse in the house.' That's when they know," the Hall of Famer explained.
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MJ and Payton's leadership styles were the same
During their prime years, Payton and Jordan established themselves as great leaders. MJ for the Chicago Bulls and Payton for the Seattle Supersonics. Interestingly, they both could set the tone for their teammates with how they talked trash and had identical leadership styles.
As a point guard known for his tenacious defense and ability to control the game, Payton's leadership was characterized by his fierce competitiveness and vocal presence on the court. He was never afraid to speak his mind and hold his teammates accountable, pushing them to perform at their best. Payton's passion for the game and dedication to winning were pivotal to the Sonics' success in the 90s.
Similarly, Jordan was also the spearhead in Chicago. Like GP, MJ led by example, always giving his best effort and demanding the same from his teammates. His work ethic, determination, and ability to rise to the occasion in tough situations earned him the respect of his teammates and even opponents.
Payton and Jordan's rivalry was unsurprisingly epic
Given their uncanny similarities as key figures of their respective teams, Payton and Jordan unsurprisingly engaged in an epic rivalry back then. The pair's most intense duel happened in the 1996 NBA Finals when the Sonics and the Bulls were the best teams in the league.
Payton's tenacity, quick reflexes, and physicality made him a formidable opponent for Jordan. He proudly believed he posed a significant challenge to Jordan at the time. However, the six-time NBA champ just laughed at Payton when he said he managed to wear Jordan out in that series.
As a dominant player himself, Payton wasn't surprised by how MJ reacted. In fact, "The Glove" said he would've done the same thing had they switched places.
"It's like this to me, he wouldn't be Michael Jordan if he would have bowed down there," Payton once said. "Everybody knows about his competitiveness. He was a guy who came every night to play. I respect him for that because I came every night to play. I was never gonna back down to him and he knew that. If it was my documentary and they asked me the same thing I would have laughed too and been like, 'No he couldn't go at me neither.'"
"Every night I played Michael Jordan he brought the best out of me. Wish I could have started off on him in the championship and it would have been better, but their team was better than mine at the time and they won it all. He did a documentary, he felt the way he felt. What I can do is I can say the same thing hahaha."
In conclusion, Payton and Jordan's leadership on and off the court set the standard for being a great leader in sports. And the other takeaway from their legacies was the fact that they both walked the talk.
