Though Seattle’s beloved NBA team departed to Oklahoma City several years ago, causing many a grouch in the Emerald City, two of the team’s best players in the organization’s history have left another legacy in the Pacific Northwest: their kids. Gary Payton (“The Glove”) and Shawn Kemp (“The Reignman”), arguably the best and most dynamic duo dynasty in NBA history, both have sons playing basketball in the Pac-12, and they are both making a run at following in their fathers’ footsteps.
Gary Payton II, a junior transfer from Salt Lake Community College, leads the Oregon State Beavers in scoring and rebounds (12.5 and 8.4 per game, respectively). He continues to reach new career highs and has (for the most part) consistently scored in the double-digits. The 6’ 3” 185 lb. guard showed his genes during pre-conference play: dunks, rebounds and defense reminiscent of the Glove. He is the only player in the Pac-12 to have a steal in every game thus far this season. Back on December 16th, Payton II had a triple-double for the Beavers. I’ll give you one guess who the only other player is in OSU’s basketball history to also pull off a triple-double. Yup, his dad, back in November of 1988.
On Fox Sports Live last night (a network, by the way, that I highly recommend you check out if you’ve grown tired of SportsCenter’s ways), a beautiful thing happened. Gary Sr. interviewed Gary II after an emphatic win against Arizona State. The elder Gary serves as a basketball analyst for the network and had the opportunity to discuss the 55-47 victory that made OSU 9-0 at home, its best start at home in 16 years. Payton II had 12 points in the victory, in which his father jokingly harassed him about not staying aggressive enough in the second half. Gary Sr. said that his son had to stay aggressive because it was key to the team’s success.
Shawn Kemp Jr. is in his final year with the Washington Huskies. Standing at 6’ 9” and 255 lbs., Kemp Jr. definitely looks the part of his father: a forward to be reckoned with. The Huskies started the season out hot – 11 straight wins, but since have lost three consecutive games to Stony Brook, Cal and Stanford, knocking the team out of the national rankings. Coach Lorenzo Romar hasn’t had the same recruiting success as he has with past commitments, and it seems there hasn’t been a real standout since Isaiah Thomas who departed early (as many do) for the NBA. Kemp Jr. has evolved over his 3.5 years with the team, more than doubling his PPG and RPG from last season. His ability to refine his rebounding skills has helped catapult the Huskies to 16th in the nation in that category. His FG% is the highest on the team – 62.9%.
Kemp Jr.’s spike in his performance this season could be attributed to his treatment of Grave’s disease, a thyroid condition that can cause anxiety, fatigue and irregular heartbeat that he was diagnosed with only just over a year ago. After discovering the condition, which doctors say is not life threatening, Romar said he was confident that Kemp could return and fully contribute to the team once he was able to properly treat the disease. Well, it appears that coach was right.
From an outsider unfamiliar with the conference, Payton II and Kemp Jr. may appear as good players on mediocre teams (the Pac-12 hasn’t fared well over the last several years in the NCAA rankings), but both teams are young and developing a rhythm and rapport to make a push for March Madness (and hopefully the NBA for Kemp, Jr.). Up next: Payton II and the Beavers will take on the best team in the Pac-12, the #7 Arizona Wildcats, at home on Saturday. The Huskies will host the Washington State Cougars on Saturday, and then the Beavers will roll into Seattle on Thursday the 15th in a Payton II vs. Kemp matchup sure to be entertaining. It’s just too bad these two aren’t on the same team so we could see them recreate the infamous Payton-to-Kemp alley oops.
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