Raptors 905 Nab Gary Payton II in G League Draft
The Toronto Raptors' G League affiliate, Raptors 905, are taking a page out of the Toronto Blue Jays playbook, going after bloodlines in the G League draft and selecting Gary Payton II with the 15th pick in Monday's draft.
The 28-year-old, 6-foot-3 Payton, nicknamed "The Mitten," is the son of former NBA Hall of Fame guard Gary Payton known as "The Glove" for his smothering defence. Unlike the elder Payton, Gary Payton II has never quite caught on with the NBA. He's played in 61 NBA games throughout his career, starting in 23 of them, while averaging just 3.5 points in 12.6 minutes per game.
Over the past three seasons, he's played primarily in the G League, averaging 16.2 points to go with 7.1 rebounds and 4.7 assists in 115 G League games.
Earlier in the draft, the Raptors selected Kevon Harris with the 11th pick. The 23-year-old Harris joins the 905 after four seasons with Stephen F. Austin where he averaged 17.6 points on efficient shooting over his junior and senior seasons. He's a 6-foot-7 wing who can shoot from distance or attack the rim with athleticism.
Former Raptors forward Oshae Brissett was selected in the second round of the draft by the Fort Wayne Mad Ants. The Canadian played one season with the 905, averaging 14.9 points per game before being waived by the organization this past offseason.
