All throughout his NBA career, Gary Payton naturally ran his mouth on the court all game long. However, even though it may seem like his trash-talking skills were natural, "The Glove" revealed that he got it from someone who was an ultimate trash-talker too - his father.
In a heartfelt article he wrote for The Players' Tribune, Payton candidly talked about how his dad turned him into the savage trash-talker he had become. According to the Hall of Fame point guard, his father made it a point that he learned how to talk smack at an early age.
To this day, Payton still vividly recalls the way his father instilled fear in the people in their neighborhood by talking a lot of trash to anybody he had a conflict with and backing it up physically if he had to. Looking back, Payton recognized that those moments planted the solid foundation of his trash-talking abilities.
"Truth is, and everybody who knows me knows this — I wouldn't talk sh*t if it wasn't for my father," Payton wrote.
"He was Al Payton, but everyone in Oakland called my dad Mr. Mean. He had that sh*t printed on his damn license plate — MRMEAN. A lot of people were scared of my father. We were scared of my father. I got good at talking trash for one reason and one reason only. Because I saw my father do it so often in the streets. If somebody said something to him, he'd knock them out. That was it. I seen it a hundred times. And people learned not to repeat that mistake. On the playground, growing up, my dad would always tell me, 'If they talk sh*t to you, talk back to them,'" he added.
It didn't take long before Payton's young and malleable mind absorbed everything his father taught him. In the process, he realized that it was very important for a trash-talker to be able to back it up.
Fortunately for GP, he was also gifted with an exceptional basketball skill set. Eventually, his sharp tongue came in handy whenever he played. By talking trash, Payton honed his attributes and psychological warfare strategies on the court.
By the time he made it to the NBA , "The Glove" was already a master trash-talker. However, unlike other players in this category, Payton rarely made enemies as he earned most of his rivals' respect for always walking the talk.
"I got good at it because it was a weapon — I knew I could have a distraction on the other guy. While they're worried about me, I'm only worried about the game. So I ran my mouth, from a young age. And I didn't care what was coming out of my mouth because I knew I was good — I could back it up with my play. Most kids couldn't do that. In the league most guys couldn't do that neither. Some people can't talk the talk and walk the walk, you know what I'm saying? They try, but they can't," Gary added.
Like his dad, Gary's trash-talking style was also ruthless. There were no off-limits as soon as he opened his mouth.
At the same time, Payton's career was also loud. He quickly established himself as one of the most exciting and talented point guards of his generation.
Many fans and former players already view Payton as arguably the greatest trash-talker in NBA history. And true to form, GP hasn't gone quiet since retiring — he can still be spotted trading barbs as a coach in the BIG3.
This story was originally reported by Basketball Network on Oct 14, 2025, where it first appeared in the Off The Court section. Add Basketball Network as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
