How to Guard Gary Payton II
Gary does most of his damage from at the rim (53.7% of his attempts) and is a limited outside shooter you can sag off. The plan below is built from where he actually shoots this season.
Where Gary scores
Share of his 2025-26 field-goal attempts by zone, with how efficiently he finishes each. This is the map the game plan is built on.
The scouting report: how to defend Gary
Wall off the paint early
Gary takes 53.7% of his shots at the rim and finishes 76.2% there. Build the wall before he turns the corner and force the ball back out rather than meeting him at the cup.
Go under screens, sag into the paint
He is a lower-volume or below-average outside shooter (29.1% on 127 attempts). You can go under ball screens and sink into the paint to take away the drive and dare him to settle for the jumper.
Get Gary's full matchup plan
The page above is the shot profile. HoopBrief turns it into a complete game plan, the exact coverage to run, on-ball positioning by spot, whistle tendencies, and the one counter to deny, in your own coaching lens.
Frequently asked questions
How do you guard Gary Payton II?
Wall off the paint early: Gary takes 53.7% of his shots at the rim and finishes 76.2% there. Build the wall before he turns the corner and force the ball back out rather than meeting him at the cup. Go under screens, sag into the paint: He is a lower-volume or below-average outside shooter (29.1% on 127 attempts). You can go under ball screens and sink into the paint to take away the drive and dare him to settle for the jumper.
What is Gary Payton II's biggest weakness on offense?
Relative to the rest of his shot diet, Gary is least efficient on his mid-range attempts (25% on 4 shots this season). Steering him toward that shot, rather than the ones he makes at a high rate, is the statistical edge.
Is Gary Payton II a good three-point shooter?
Gary has taken 127 three-pointers this season and made 37 of them (29.1%). That share of his offense (30.6% of his attempts) is what decides whether you chase him over screens or sag under them.
How many points per game does Gary Payton II average?
Gary is averaging 7.5 points per game this season, along with 1.7 assists and 3.6 rebounds. Scoring volume is why he draws the defensive game plan on this page.
How to guard other players
Shot-profile and box-score figures reflect Gary Payton II's 2025-26 season. Defensive recommendations are generated from that shot distribution and are teaching guidance, not a guarantee of outcome.