SuperSonics draft Gary Payton in June 1990.

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In June 1990, with the No. 2 selection in the 1990 NBA Draft (highest in team history), the Sonics select guard Gary Payton from Oregon State. Payton finishes his career at OSU as the school’s all-time leading scorer and sixth leading scorer in Pac-10 history. Sports Illustrated magazine goes so far as to anoint Payton the College Player of the Year.

The Sonics’ high regard for Payton has borne itself out: he has been the team’s starting point guard for 11 straight seasons; he is a seven-time All-Star; and on December 9, 2000, he became the SuperSonics’ all-time leading scorer, surpassing Fred Brown’s mark of 14,018 points.

Sources:
(www.supersonics.com); Seattle SuperSonics 1999-2000 Media Guide ed. by Marc Moquin (Seattle: Full House Sports & Entertainment, 1999).

By Dan Johnson, March 06, 2001

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SuperSonics forward Gary Payton
Courtesy Seattle SuperSonics