Oregon State Announcer Mike Parker 'Fine' After Being Attacked in Indianapolis
Mar 30, 2021
Oregon State guard Ethan Thompson (5) passes around Loyola Chicago guard Lucas Williamson (1) during the first half of a Sweet 16 game in the NCAA men's college basketball tournament at Bankers Life Fieldhouse, Saturday, March 27, 2021, in Indianapolis. (AP Photo/Jeff Roberson)
Oregon State men's basketball announcer Mike Parker said Sunday that he was attacked while walking through Indianapolis on Saturday prior to the Oregon State Beavers' 65-58 win over the Loyola-Chicago Ramblers in the Sweet 16 of the NCAA tournament.
According to Nick Daschel of The Oregonian, Parker said a man attacked him on Canal Walk downtown, leaving him with a torn shirt and abrasions on his elbow.
Parker further elaborated on his condition, saying: "I'm a little sore from the fall, but I'm fine. I had no issues during the game."
The 62-year-old Parker noted that he enjoys walking the cities he announces in, and he decided to do so Saturday just hours before the Beavers and Ramblers clashed for a spot in the Elite Eight.
Parker said he observed a man "probably in his mid 20s, kind of scraggly, talking strangely to an older gentleman," and the man then crossed a bridge and approached him.
The announcer said the man asked him what was in the bag he was carrying. When Parker said it was work papers, the man allegedly continued to press him and asked if there was a bomb in the bag.
Parker said the man ran after him and tackled him, almost causing him to fall in the water. Police officers on bikes in the area and were said to have come to Parker's aid.
The voice of Oregon State men's basketball, football and baseball said he told the officers he didn't want to press charges against the man and is unsure what happened to him.
Parker, who is a graduate of the University of Oregon, has been calling Oregon State athletics for 20 years, and he had one of the biggest calls of his career Saturday.
With their win over Loyola-Chicago, the Beavers became only the second No. 12 seed in NCAA tournament history to reach the Elite Eight.
It also marked Oregon State's first trip to the Elite Eight since 1982 and its first official Elite Eight appearance since 1966, as the 1982 Elite Eight team had wins vacated because of NCAA sanctions.
The Beavers fell short in their attempt to extend their Cinderella run to the Final Four, though, as they lost 67-61 to the second-seeded Houston Cougars on Monday.
Oregon State is the True NCAA Tournament Cinderella We Didn't See Coming
Kerry Miller
Mar 28, 2021
Oregon State guard Ethan Thompson celebrates during the second half of a Sweet 16 game against Loyola Chicago in the NCAA men's college basketball tournament at Bankers Life Fieldhouse, Saturday, March 27, 2021, in Indianapolis. (AP Photo/Jeff Roberson)
It's quite rare for a major-conference team to serve as a legitimate Cinderella story of the men's NCAA tournament, but that glass slipper fits beautifully on the Elite Eight-bound and No. 12 seeded Oregon State Beavers.
Prior to last Friday, Oregon State's most recent win in the NCAA tournament came in 1982. But the tournament accomplishments of the "Orange Express" from 1980-82 were later vacated due to impermissible benefits, meaning the program's most recent official tournament victory came in 1975.
That means—as far as the NCAA record books are concerned—both DePaul and Rutgers had been to a Final Four more recently than Oregon State won a tournament game.
Not only is this a Cinderella story by ancient history standards, but even the much more recent history suggests there was no way to see this coming.
Just five weeks ago, the idea of Oregon State making it into the NCAA tournament was borderline incomprehensible.
The Beavers were 11-11 overall with woeful home losses to Wyoming and Portland on their resume. (Portland did not win another road game this season, nor did it win another game against a KenPom Top 200 opponent.)
The only time we even tangentially mentioned Oregon State in bracketology conversations was if we were either pointing out USC's worst loss of the season or mentioning how bad short-handed Oregon looked against the Beavers in its first game back from a COVID-19 pause.
In the quarterfinals of the Pac-12 tournament, Oregon State trailed UCLA 32-16 in the first half, was down by four with less than two minutes to go and was only able to get that game into overtime when Jules Bernard missed what likely would have been a game-winning free throw for the Bruins.
In the Pac-12 championship against Colorado, one of the best free-throw shooting teams in NCAA history went just 12-of-20 from the charity stripe and still had a chance to win it at the buzzer, but McKinley Wright IV's half-court heave was nowhere close to finding its mark.
Even after winning the Pac-12 tournament, Oregon State ended the year ranked 91st in the NCAA Evaluation Tool rankings and 85th on KenPom.
There has been a lot of chatter in the past week about certain teams (most notably Loyola-Chicago) being under-seeded by the selection committee, but Oregon State's No. 12 seed was much deserved. There's no way the Beavers would have gotten in without that automatic bid.
After beating those long odds just to get into this dance, they keep refusing to go home.
Oregon State's Jarod Lucas
Their tourney journey began with a 14-point win over Tennessee in which their lethal Pac-12 tournament three-point stroke (43.9 percent) found its way to Bankers Life Fieldhouse. Jarod Lucas and Zach Reichle led the Beavers through a 10-of-21 night from distance.
After knocking out a Volunteers squad with two potential lottery picks (Keon Johnson and Jaden Springer), Oregon State proceeded to get a super physical win over Cade Cunningham and Oklahoma State. That OSU-OSU showdown featured 73 combined free-throw attempts, and the Beavers made 91.4 percent of their freebies.
Those free throws were once again critical in the process of beating Cameron Krutwig, Sister Jean Dolores-Schmidt and the Loyola-Chicago Ramblers in the Sweet 16. That game was a rock fight of the highest order, but the Beavers went 18-of-20 from the charity stripe—most of those in the final three minutes to keep the Ramblers from having any chance of mounting a comeback.
After shooting 15-of-16 from the free-throw line against Oklahoma State, Ethan Thompson sank all eight of his tries against Loyola-Chicago. Oregon State's senior leader has averaged 20.3 points, 7.0 rebounds and 3.3 assists through the first three rounds.
But the biggest reason for Oregon State's success has been its defense, which is pure madness if you watched this team try to play defense during the regular season.
In 17 of 29 games played prior to the tournament, Oregon State allowed at least 1.0 points per possession (PPP). In a mid-January loss to Arizona, that rate was 1.38 PPP. In the home loss to Oregon in OSU's regular-season finale, the Ducks scored 1.33 PPP.
The Beavers had, arguably, the ninth-best defense in the Pac-12.
In each of their three NCAA tournament games, though, the Beavers defense has clocked in below 1.0 PPP allowed. All told, it's 184 points on 205 possessions (0.89 PPP), and it's mostly a product of intentionally mucking things up in the paint against mediocre three-point shooting teams.
With big man John Fulkerson unavailable for Tennessee because of a facial fracture suffered in the SEC tournament, Oregon State basically begged Tennessee to settle for long jump shots, and the inconsistent Volunteers obliged that request. Same goes for the game against Oklahoma State, and those first two opponents shot a combined 13-of-53 (24.5 percent) from three-point range.
Against Loyola-Chicago, Wayne Tinkle unleashed a zone defense designed to A) keep Krutwig in check, B) eliminate the backdoor cuts that the Ramblers used to destroy Illinois and C) force them to settle for threes instead of their preferred two-point buckets. It worked to perfection. The Ramblers shot just 1-of-13 from distance in the first 30 minutes, and it was too little too late when those shots finally started falling.
Loyola-Chicago had not faced much zone defense during the regular season, and it took the Ramblers a long time to figure out how to navigate it. They ended up scoring 58, but they were held to 24 for the first 28 minutes.
Because of that savvy decision by Tinkle, the Beavers are improbably on their way to the Elite Eight. They join 2002 Missouri as only the second team in NCAA tournament history to reach a regional final as a No. 12 seed or worse.
Why stop there?
Oregon State could certainly win Monday's game against Houston. Like both of the Midwest Region's Sweet 16 matchups, it's probably going to be a "race" to 60 points. If the Beavers can keep the Cougars from dominating on the offensive glass, they could keep this wild ride going for one more weekend.
Because of Oregon State's conference affiliation, most will refuse to view this run as unlikely as the Final Four runs of No. 11 seeds George Mason (2006), VCU (2011) and Loyola-Chicago (2018). Nevertheless, the Beavers are one win away from the unlikeliest Final Four appearance of all-time.
If they get it done, I'm confident I speak for everyone in hoping that the 6'10" Tinkle dons a pair of very large glass slippers to coach that national semifinal game against the winner of Arkansas vs. Baylor.
Kerry Miller covers men's college basketball and college football for Bleacher Report. You can follow him on Twitter,@kerrancejames.
No. 12 Oregon State Beats No. 8 Loyola-Chicago, Advances to Elite Eight
Mar 27, 2021
Oregon State center Roman Silva (12) fights for a rebound with Loyola Chicago guard Tate Hall (24) and center Cameron Krutwig, center, during the first half of a Sweet 16 game in the NCAA men's college basketball tournament at Bankers Life Fieldhouse, Saturday, March 27, 2021, in Indianapolis. (AP Photo/Jeff Roberson)
The 12th-seeded Oregon State Beavers are Elite Eight-bound after beating the No. 8 Loyola-Chicago Ramblers 65-58 in the Sweet 16 of the 2021 NCAA men's basketball tournament on Saturday at Bankers Life Fieldhouse in Indianapolis.
Officially, the Beavers are heading to the Elite Eight for the seventh time in program history and the first time since 1966, as their trip to the Elite Eight in 1982 was vacated because of NCAA sanctions.
Oregon State gutted out a defensive battle by holding Loyola to 33.3percent shooting from the floor and 21.7percent shooting from beyond the arc while also forcing eightturnovers.
Meanwhile, the Beavers shot 41.2percent from the field and 38.5percent from long range in the victory, which was the Pac-12 tournament winners' sixth in a row.
Lucas Williamson, G, LUC: 10 PTS on 3/11 FG, 7 REB, 3 AST
Thompson Stars Offensively in Beavs' Win
Saturday's game was primarily about locking down the opposition defensively, but one player did stand out on the offensive end in Oregon State senior guard Ethan Thompson.
Thompson led all scorers with 22 pointsand was the Beavers' go-to guy whenever they needed a big basket.
He even showed off his playmaking skills, including this beautiful cross-court pass, which led to a three-pointer by Tariq Silver in the opening half:
Thompson got the job done on defense as well, with this charge helping spur the Beavers to an 11-0 run to close the first half and enter the locker room up by eight:
The Los Angeles native had 10 of Oregon State's 24 points at halftime and was receiving plenty of praise from those watching a game that didn't have a ton of offensive highlights.
Among those who spoke highly of Thompson were Alex Crawford of KOCI, Julian Mininsohn of KEZI and Bobby Reagan of Barstool Sports:
I love how understated of a star Ethan Thompson is.
Thompson continued to show off his impressive skill set in the second half, and he was the biggest problem for Loyola-Chicago's normally suffocating defense.
He caught the Ramblers napping with just under 13 minutes remaining in regulation, catching a long pass over the shoulder and slamming home an emphatic dunk to extend the Oregon State lead to 13:
Things did tighten up after that as Loyola started making more field goals down the stretch, but the Beavs continued to lean on their star.
Thompson was unquestionably the biggest difference-maker for either team Saturday, and he is primarily why Oregon State is moving on to the Elite Eight.
If Thompson continues playing at the level he did against Loyola, Oregon State may have a legitimate chance to go the distance, which is something nobody expected as recently as a few weeks ago.
Loyola Loses at Own Game in Defensive Struggle
Loyola-Chicago's modus operandi is shutting down the opposition defensively and dominating in the half-court offensively, but neither thing happened for long stretches Saturday.
After the Ramblers imposed their will on top-seeded Illinois in the second round of the NCAA tournament, it initially looked like they would be able to do the same against Oregon State.
Loyola seized a 9-3 lead and Round of 32 hero Cameron Krutwig looked good early as well, going to work in the paint:
The Ramblers led 16-13 with just five minutes remaining in the first half, but things went south in a hurry.
As noted by Pat Forde of Sports Illustrated, Oregon State went on an 11-0 run to end the half and shut Loyola down on the defensive end during that stint:
Oregon State 24, Loyola 16 at halftime. Ramblers scoreless last 5:45. Beavers finish half on 11-0 run.
Most of Loyola's damage was done at the free-throw line in the first half, as the Ramblers had more turnovers (five) than field goals made (four). Their 16 points were also a season low in any half.
Loyola struggled against Oregon State's zone, but the Ramblers started to come to life and hit shots in the second half.
Most notably, Lucas Williamson, who struggled from the field, finally canned a three-pointer with about eight minutes left to bring Loyola within six:
Loyola had opportunities to tie the game or take the lead, but its vaunted defense couldn't stop the Beavers in big moments down the stretch.
A trifecta by Jarod Lucas with 1:12 remaining extended the Oregon State lead from four to seven and essentially put the game out of reach, leaving the Ramblers to wonder what could have been had they gotten some timely stops and performed better offensively in the first half.
What's Next?
On the heels of their big win Saturday, the No. 12 Beavers will face either the No. 2 Houston Cougars or No. 11 Syracuse Orange on Monday.
4-Star SF Alfred Hollins Commits to Oregon State Beavers
Mar 21, 2017
Alfred Hollins, a 4-star small forward from Phoenix, Arizona, announced Tuesday that he will play his college ball for the Oregon State Beavers.
Hollins made things official with a post on Twitter:
According to Scout.com, Hollins is the 28th-ranked player overall and 11th-ranked small forward among all class of 2017 recruits. Furthermore, Hollins clocks in as the top-ranked player at his position in the state of Arizona.
Prior to Tuesday's announcement, Hollins had reportedly narrowed down his list of prospective schools to Oregon State, Florida State, Oregon and Virginia Tech.
However, the Beavers ultimately won out over more established ACC and Pac-12 powers after Hollins came away impressed by the way the program presented itself during his visit.
"The coaching staff and players were really open and showed me around," Hollins said, per the Oregonian's Andrew Nemec. "It was very honest. They didn't sugarcoat anything and kept it upfront. I liked that. Honesty really helps you as a player. You don't want to go somewhere where the coaches tell you you're doing good when you're really not."
Hollins was also encouraged with the way the student body at Oregon State embraced a team that finished 5-27 overall and dead last in the conference.
"Even though they had a bad season, they still had almost 10,000 fans (against Oregon)," he said, per Nemec. "Everybody is getting back healthy and that's good to see. They are excited and are still hungry and not giving up. No one pointed the finger. They take pride in what they do and just want to be a better team."
With Hollins officially in the fold, the Beavers now have a core in place that could vault them up the Pac-12 standings as soon as the 2017-18 season.
Not only does the Hillcrest Prep product project as a prominent piece of the Beavers' rotation, but head coach Wayne Tinkle will have 4-star shooting guard Ethan Thompson and 3-star swingman Zach Reichle at his disposal as well.
Factor in the return of Tres Tinkle—who broke his wrist in November and missed all but six games—and the Beavers could make a big leap as they attempt to make their second NCAA tournament appearance in three years.
Oregon State's Gary Payton II Caps Off 10-0 Run with Vicious 1-Handed Dunk
Mar 18, 2016
The last time Oregon State participated in the men's basketball NCAA tournament, a man named Gary Payton paved the way.
Some 26 years later, his son, Gary Payton II, is guiding the No. 7 Beavers to brilliance.
And that brilliance begins with making such a long-awaited, sought-after opportunity count—in this case, gaining the lead over No. 10 Virginia Commonwealth University.
Midway through the second half with the score tied at 49, the senior guard sprinted down the court, catching the outlet pass from teammate Drew Eubanks before splitting two defenders and emphatically hammering home the one-handed jam.
The play capped an electric Oregon State 10-0 run and put his team up 51-49.
Papa Payton must be proud.
Tres Tinkle Injury: Updates on Oregon St. Forward's Foot and Return
Mar 3, 2016
Jan 30, 2016; Tucson, AZ, USA; Oregon State Beavers forward Tres Tinkle (3) looks to pass as Arizona Wildcats forward Ryan Anderson (12) defends during the first half at McKale Center. Arizona won 80-63. Mandatory Credit: Casey Sapio-USA TODAY Sports
Oregon State Beavers freshman forward Tres Tinkle is nursing a foot injury suffered back on March 2. It's unclear when he'll return to the court.
Continue for updates.
Tinkle Out vs. Cal
Thursday, March 3
CBS Sports' Jon Rothstein reported Tinkle won't play in the Beavers' next Pac-12 tournament game against Cal on Thursday.
Tinkle Crucial to Oregon State's Postseason Hopes
Tinkle is second on the team in points (13.1), rebounds (5.4) and steals (1.2) per game. The injury comes at a bad time for the Beavers, who sit firmly on the postseason bubble.
Oregon State (19-11, 9-9), which has not made the NCAA tournament since 1990, could look to play a three-guard lineup without Tinkle. Freshman guard Stephen Thompson Jr. got the start in Tinkle's place Wednesday in a loss to the USC Trojans.
Oregon State's Jarmal Reid Ejected for Tripping Ref vs. Utah
Jan 17, 2016
LAS VEGAS, NV - MARCH 12: Elgin Cook #23 of the Oregon Ducks ties up Jarmal Reid #32 of the Oregon State Beavers during a first-round game of the Pac-12 Basketball Tournament at the MGM Grand Garden Arena on March 12, 2014 in Las Vegas, Nevada. A jump ball was called on the play. (Photo by Ethan Miller/Getty Images)
Oregon State Beavers forward Jarmal Reid was ejected from his team's game against the Utah Utes on Sunday for tripping an official, per Rob Dauster of NBC Sports:
Jarmal Reid of Oregon State was ejected for tripping an official. Never seen this before. https://t.co/y24JrRH7Ex
The 6'7" senior had two points and five rebounds in the 59-53 loss. Oregon State suspended Reid for a minimum of four games on Monday.
According to Sean Meagher of the Oregonian,Reid was apparently frustrated with a no-call before the trip. It came at an inopportune time, as the game was tied at 52-52 with 2:56 remaining. The official called a flagrant-2 foul against Reid, and Utah outscored Oregon State 7-1 the rest of the way.
Bleacher Report's C.J. Moore didn't hold back once he realized referee Tommy Nunez was justified in tossing Reid:
I thought Nunez had to be overreacting in Oregon State-Utah, then saw replay. Jarmal Reid just made dumbest play I've ever seen.
This was something you don't see every day in college basketball, or at any level of basketball for that matter. The loss was the second in a row for the Beavers and dropped them to 2-3 in the Pac-12 and 11-5 overall.
JaQuori McLaughlin to Oregon State: Beavers Land 4-Star Guard Prospect
Sep 25, 2015
Oregon State's backcourt got a boost Friday, as combo guard JaQuori McLaughlin committed to the Beavers, per Scout.com's Josh Gershon.
The 6'3" guard out of Gig Harbor, Washington, is the third-best prospect from the state, according to 247Sports' composite rankings. He is also ranked 14th at his position and 89th overall in the 2016 class.
This isn't the first time he's committed to Oregon State, according to Gershon. Two years ago, McLaughlin announced he would be going to Corvallis, only to decommit after coach Craig Robinson was dismissed. In November 2014, he committed to Washington, but he reopened his recruitment in May of this year.
McLaughlin discussed his decision with Gershon:
The biggest reason is the people that are going to be there when I’m there. I love the coaching staff; I love coach Tinkle and have built a great trust with him. I really like the players and think playing with them could be a really good thing.
McLaughlin has shown throughout his career at Peninsula High School that he is a multifaceted scorer who can put the ball in the basket from anywhere on the floor. He also showed that he is capable of taking over a game as well. Peninsula Basketball showcased highlights from his 38-point performance back in February:
JaQuori McLaughlin explodes for 38 points vs. Kennedy on 02-21-15. Peninsula was 1 win away from State Regionals! https://t.co/KQ63gjcoMp
— Peninsula Basketball (@PeninsulaHoops) June 9, 2015
McLaughlin holds a nice jumper and isn't afraid to put the ball on the floor and drive to the rim, but his game isn't just about scoring. Rivals.com's Eric Bossi sees a lot of potential in him:
Big upside w/JaQuori McLaughlin. Can be scorer/facilitator, sneaky athletic & potentially big time defender. Some Devin Harris to his game
It's been quite a couple of years for Oregon State when it comes to recruiting. According to Gershon, the Beavers brought in one of their best classes in school history in 2015, landing three top-100 prospects in Stephen Thompson Jr., Tres Tinkle and Drew Eubanks.
As the Beavers continue to piece together a young, talented core, they could very well make noise in the Pac-12 and possibly the NCAA tournament in a few seasons.
Long Overshadowed by Dad, Gary Payton II Making New Family Legacy at Oregon St.
Feb 12, 2015
CORVALLIS, Ore. — Oregon State's game against Washington on Sunday is 10 minutes old when the most famous player in school history springs from his courtside seat.
Sporting designer jeans, a gray Beavers hoodie and a pair of diamond earrings, there stands Gary Payton, who became an NBA Hall of Famer in large part because of a defensive prowess that earned him the nickname "The Glove." So it's only fitting that a steal is what prompts him to pump his fist as Oregon State capitalizes with an easy basket while a nearly sellout crowd erupts.
Two hours later, in a hallway outside the locker room after the 64-50 win, Payton says the atmosphere at Gill Coliseum reminded him of his All-American playing days in Corvallis, where folks now obsess over a new hero—the same guy who caused Payton to leap from his seat.
Twenty-five years after The Glove, fans are now enamored with "The Thief."
"His dad had a nickname, so everyone says he needs one, too," says Monique James, Payton's ex-wife and the mother of Gary Payton II, Oregon State's newest star. "I came up with that a few weeks ago. What do you think?"
The moniker certainly seems appropriate.
Much like his famous father did from 1986-1990, Payton II has earned a reputation as one of the country's top defenders. The junior ranks third in the nation with 3.0 steals per game, mainly because of his knack for playing the passing lanes and anticipating things before they happen.
Even more impressive, though, is Payton II's versatility. The 6'4", 180-pound junior-college transfer also leads Oregon State in points (12.4) and rebounds (8.0) and ranks second in assists (3.0) and blocks (1.1)—a true stat-sheet filler who has propelled Oregon State to a 16-7 record under first-year coach Wayne Tinkle.
A strong finish could catapult the Beavers into the NCAA tournament for the first time since Payton II's dad led them there as a senior in 1990.
LAS VEGAS, NV - NOVEMBER 24: Former NBA player Gary Payton claps after his son, Gary Payton II #1 of the Oregon State Beavers, dunked against the Oklahoma State Cowboys during the 2014 MGM Grand Main Event basketball tournament at the MGM Grand Garden Ar
"That'd be a great story," Payton II says in a foyer outside the practice gym the following day. "But I don't compare myself to him. We're completely different players. I didn't come to Oregon State just to try to replicate what he did.
"I've always just tried to make my own name."
It hasn't been easy.
As a child growing up in Seattle, Gary Payton II often dreaded the time of day that most elementary school kids love.
Countless times in the gym or on the blacktop, Payton II would hear the same barbs from the third-, fourth- and fifth-graders during pickup games.
Why didn't your dad teach you how to play basketball?
You'll never be as good as your dad.
The only way you'll make the team is if your dad pays for it.
For an outsider, it would've been natural to assume that Payton II loved everything about basketball during those early years, when his father was a nine-time NBA All-Star for the Seattle SuperSonics.
Payton Sr. took his son to nearly every home game and even most of the practices, eventually getting him a job as a ball boy. Before each game, he'd rebound for Seattle standouts, such as Detlef Schrempf and Vin Baker, or visiting stars, such as Kevin Garnett or Vince Carter, both of whom he considers friends.
During the game, Payton II would wipe up sweat or hand out water bottles and towels when players came to the bench. Once he even dressed up as Mini-Squatch, a sidekick to the team mascot who mimicked all of Squatch's pranks and dances as fans chuckled from their seats.
Deep down, though, Payton II was beginning to sour on the sport.
SEATTLE - JANUARY 28: Gary Payton #20 of the Seattle Sonics takes takes the ball to the hoop during the game against the Golden State Warriors at Key Arena on January 28, 2003 in Seattle, Washington. The Sonics defeated the Warriors 91-88. NOTE TO USER:
Whether it was at his private school in Seattle or one of the junior high or high schools he attended in Milwaukee, Boston, Los Angeles or Las Vegas, Payton II continued to be the subject of barbs about not being as good as his father.
Monique sensed her son's frustration. He'd loaf during youth league games and "would act like he didn't want to be there," she said. Monique encouraged Payton II to stand up to his bullies.
"Talk back to them," she'd say. "Curse them out if you have to and get in their face. Just make sure they know you're your own man and that you can be whatever you want to be."
Instead, the soft-spoken Payton II drifted further and further away from the game around the ninth grade. He continued to play AAU ball, but his minutes were limited.
"I'd get in for a few minutes if we were up by 40," Payton II says, "but it was hard to do much in those situations."
At one point, Payton II even told his father to quit attending games because the criticisms heard were so harsh. Now 22, Payton II shrugs his shoulders when discussing those days.
"The pressure got to me," he says. "Everyone was comparing me to my dad. It just wasn't fun anymore."
Things changed for Payton II, however, the summer before his junior year at Spring Valley High School in Las Vegas.
That's when Payton II caught the eye of Darrel Jordan, a local AAU coach who had been working with Payton II's younger brother. Jordan put the oldest Payton sibling through intense workouts to improve his jump shot, enhance his conditioning and, more than anything, develop his confidence. With Jordan leading the charge, Payton II began to sense his own potential.
LAS VEGAS, NV - NOVEMBER 26: Gary Payton II #1 of the Oregon State Beavers dunks against K.C. Ross-Miller #12 of the Auburn Tigers during the 2014 MGM Grand Main Event basketball tournament at the MGM Grand Garden Arena on November 26, 2014 in Las Vegas,
"And once he got to where he could dunk, it was on from there," Monique laughs. "He became a totally different person. Basketball became the main thing in his life. It was a type of passion he had never experienced before."
Payton II said a handful of small Division I schools, including Florida Gulf Coast, offered him a scholarship out of high school, but because of subpar grades, he was forced to attend prep school in Phoenix for a year before spending two seasons at Salt Lake City Community College.
"That was the best thing for me anyway," Payton II says. "I wasn't physically or mentally prepared to be a Division I player out of high school."
Payton II earned second-team NJCAA Division I All-American honors after averaging 14.1 points, 7.9 rebounds and 3.8 assists as a sophomore at Salt Lake City C.C. He also added about 25 pounds to his 150-pound frame.
Despite an offer from perennial NCAA tournament contender Saint Mary's, Payton II signed a national letter of intent with Oregon State in the fall of 2013. He remained committed after the school fired coach Craig Robinson four months later.
"Don't worry, Coach," Payton II told Tinkle by phone the night of his hiring. "I'm a Beaver."
Pleased as he was with the news, the conversation didn't mark the first time Tinkle had come away impressed with Payton II. Then the head coach at Montana, Tinkle watched a Salt Lake City Community College practice when Payton II was a freshman role player.
"I was there scouting a bunch of guys," Tinkle said. "No one in particular."
Still, at the end of the workout, Payton II approached Tinkle on the sideline, shook his hand and thanked him for coming.
Two years later, Tinkle smiles when recalling the story.
"I knew when I was hired here I'd be coaching a great person," he says. "But I had no idea he'd be this good of a player."
When Payton II was in grade school, he often attended Oregon State football games with his father.
Whether they were walking through the parking lot toward the stadium, eating at a local restaurant or stopping by Gill Coliseum to visit the basketball staff, Payton Sr. was always stopped for autographs, pictures or just a few quick words from fans who wanted to say "thanks."
All these years later, nothing has changed.
"He's treated like a superstar every time he comes to Corvallis," Payton II says. "Sometimes I'd watch it all happen and think, 'I want that to be me someday.' But now I realize that I just want to do my own thing."
Indeed, Payton II has done more than become a better basketball player since arriving at Oregon State. He's gotten wiser.
Instead of letting his father's celebrity be a burden, Payton II now sees it as a blessing and a motivational tool. Each day he walks into Gill Coliseum and sees a commemorative banner with Payton Sr.'s picture hovering over the court.
"Every time you look up there and see that," his father told him, "you need to think, 'One day they're going to put my picture up there next to my dad's.'"
"He can't fill my shoes, and he's not trying to do that," Payton Sr. says. "He's going to make his own name, his own statement. He's a completely different player than I was anyway."
Payton Sr.—who holds Seattle franchise records for career points, assists and steals—was a better on-ball defender than his son. He was also more offensive-minded, known as much for his scoring as his assists. Payton II takes more pride in getting his teammates involved.
"I want him to be more aggressive offensively," Payton Sr. said. "He needs to develop his mid-range jumper if he wants to get to the next level. If he does that, he'll have a chance, because he already does a lot of things NBA guys like."
Jan 24, 2015; Corvallis, OR, USA; Oregon State Beavers guard Gary Payton II (left) and USC Trojans forward Darion Clark (right) tussle for control of the ball during the second half of the game at Gill Coliseum. The Beavers won 59-55. Mandatory Credit: Go
Just like his father, Payton II embraces playing defense—"I love it," he says—and he's actually a better defender off the ball because he plays the passing lanes so well. His passion for rebounding is also a rarity among guards. His rebounding figures at Oregon State (8.0 per game) would be considered very good for a power forward.
In terms of leadership, Payton Sr. was known as one of the NBA's top trash-talkers. His son is quiet but still leads by example.
"Sometimes he serves as a buffer," Tinkle says. "If he sees that I'm about to jump on a guy, he'll get between us and say, 'Don't worry, Coach. He'll be all right. I'll get him going.'
"His leadership qualities have blown us away considering he's a transfer who was already having to adapt in so many other areas."
Excited as he is about his son's success, Payton Sr. hasn't interfered. Other than calling Tinkle to discuss his coaching philosophy after he was hired, he has attempted to stay in the background and let Tinkle do his job.
Payton Sr. did say, however, that he plans to enlist the help of NBA standouts John Wall and Damian Lillard to work with his son during the offseason.
"That sounds great to me," Payton II said. "It'll help me defensively to go one-on-one with bigger, quicker guards like that. That's exactly what I need."
In the meantime, Payton II is focused on doing whatever he can to help Oregon State continue its hot streak.
Tinkle said he entered the season questioning whether the Beavers would be good enough to win five games. Three months later, Oregon State is 16-7 overall and 7-4 in the Pac-12 with a win over No. 7 Arizona.
Sunday's crowd of 9,114 was the Beavers' largest in two years at Gill Coliseum, where Oregon State is 14-0. Most mock brackets don't have the Beavers in the 68-team field, but that could change if Tinkle's squad picks up quality wins on the road.
"It's like Coach says," Payton II added, "'why wait two or three years to rebuild? Why not do it now?'"
The Beavers are accomplishing just that thanks, in large part, to Payton II, who has a family member supporting him in the crowd every home game. If his father can't fly in from Los Angeles, where he works as a Fox Sports television analyst, he arranges for Monique to travel to Corvallis from her home in Las Vegas.
Then there are times like Sunday, when both parents were in the stands. As Payton shouted encouragement from courtside, Monique leaned forward on the edge of her seat.
"When I was an NBA wife, I had a good time at the games," she says. "I'd be kicking it with my heels on and talking to everyone else about where we were going after the game.
"Here, I'm focused. I've got my Uggs on, and I won't even think about getting up to go to the restroom. I'm just so excited to see my son play, to see him having so much fun after living in that shadow for so long."
Both Paytons generate their share of well-wishers on the Oregon State campus in Corvallis.
As Oregon State families and staff members milled about on the court following Sunday's 64-50 win over Washington, a group of about 20 fans encircled Payton Sr., each of them, it seemed, asking for autographs and selfies.
The NBA legend seemed happy to oblige. But when he looked across the court, he realized he wasn't the only one receiving attention.
About 20 feet away, Payton II was wrapping up a television interview when his dad darted across the hardwood for a quick embrace. The two talked privately for a moment before more autograph-seekers approached.
Eventually, a security guard was summoned to intervene and clear an escape path toward the tunnel. Not just for the The Glove.
But for The Thief, too.
Jason King covers college sports for Bleacher Report. You can follow him on Twitter @JasonKingBR.
