Getty
10/17/2003 New Laker point guard Gary Payton before a preseason game between Phoenix Suns and Lakers. (Photo by George Wilhelm/Los Angeles Times via Getty Images)
Getty
10/17/2003 New Laker point guard Gary Payton before a preseason game between Phoenix Suns and Lakers. (Photo by George Wilhelm/Los Angeles Times via Getty Images)
Like any other sport, basketball has its moments when things get out of hand. One of the most infamous fights took place in the now-dissolved franchise, the Seattle Supersonics. Gary Payton, one of the greatest point guards ever, and his teammate in Seattle took their fight too far and made headlines.
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Talking in an interview, Payton was asked about his fight with former teammate Vernon Maxwell. The infamous fight took place during their time in the Seattle Supersonics in 2000.
Gary Payton goes all out against teammate
Although Vernon Maxwell might be remembered for his time in the Houston Rockets, he spent a year in the Seattle Supersonics, now known as the Oklahoma City Thunder. During his time in Seattle, Maxwell was reunited with long-time friend Gary Payton.
Despite being good friends before, the two had a fallout. It resulted in one of the most infamous moments in NBA history. During a team practice session, Payton and Maxwell almost had a fight that shifted to the locker room. That is what happens when two guys with huge egos clash. Talking about what led to the fight and what went down in the locker room, Gary Payton gives intriguing details regarding the two.
Gary Payton said, “People don’t know we were good friends. We did the same thing, hung out the same way and we clashed. When you have two guys like the same and they clash, somebody’s gonna have to give and I think Vern wasn’t giving and I wasn’t giving. So practice went a little left. Me being the leader, I said, let me guard him. I thought I could control him and settle him down.”
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He added, “He and I got into it. I just said, ‘ Just wait till we get into the locker room and we’re gonna see what happens. As soon as he got into the locker room, I tried to hit him with a weight.”
The players received fines for their actions that sent shock waves around the NBA world. While Maxwell left the team the following season, Payton spent another 2 seasons with the franchise. Payton retired with the Miami Heat in 2007 with an average of 16.3 points, 3.9 rebounds, and 6.7 assists.
