<p>NEW YORK — Gary Payton II is following in his father’s footsteps when it comes to elite defense.</p>
<p>Payton II was announced Friday as the G League’s defensive player of the year — a trophy that comes 26 years after his father, Basketball Hall of Famer Gary Payton, won the NBA’s defensive player of the year award.</p>
<p>Payton II played for Toronto-affiliated Raptors 905 in the G League bubble this winter, averaging a league-best 2.54 steals per game to go along with 10.8 points, 5.6 rebounds and 2.6 assists. Raptors 905 had the best regular-season record and was the top seed in the G League playoffs, where they fell in the semifinals.</p>
<p>Payton II also was the league’s steals champion in 2018-19, when he averaged 2.96 per game.</p>
<p>The award was decided by a vote by NBA G League head coaches and general managers whose teams participated in the bubble.</p>
<p>Gary Payton played for Miami’s NBA championship team in 2006, plus was with Seattle, Boston, Milwaukee and the Los Angeles Lakers. He has the fourth-most steals in NBA history.</p>
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