Warriors guard Gary Payton II wins prestigious NBA community award

SAN FRANCISCO (CBS SF) -- The road to the NBA has been long and arduous for Warriors defensive stopper Gary Payton II and it began in grade school.

Unlike his other classmates, when Payton looked at his textbooks, the words were jumbled. He suffered from Dyslexia and has never forgotten the frustrations.

So on Tuesday, when the Oakland native was awarded the NBA's 2021-22 Bob Lanier Community Assist Award, it had extra meaning since it was for his work with others in the Bay Area suffering from the learning disorder.

"I want to congratulate Gary Payton," head coach Steve Kerr said. "He won the Bob Lanier Community Assist Award, specifically for his work with kids with Dyslexia which Gary struggled with and had to deal with in his childhood...It's really amazing stuff and we are thrilled for Gary."

Payton received the award before the beginning of Game 1 of the NBA Finals against the Boston Celtics at Chase Center Thursday night.

Payton has emerged this season after years of struggling to find a place in the league. The last player signed to a contract heading into the season by the Warriors, Payton quickly began to chisel out playing time with his dogged defense and highlight reel dunks.

By the NBA Western Conference semifinals, Payton found himself in the starting lineup against the Memphis Grizzlies. But then as Payton was going up for a layup in Game 2, Dillon Brooks chased him down and swung his arm, hitting the Warriors guard across the head.

The blow knocked Payton off balance. He fell to the ground and immediately grabbed at his left arm with 9:08 left in the first quarter. Officials reviewed the play and quickly ruled it a Flagrant 2, sending Brooks to the locker room.

X-rays revealed Payton had suffered a fractured elbow. He's been sideline ever since, but practiced with the team on Tuesday. He's made a remarkable recovery, but will need to show more in progress in Wednesday's practice to be in the lineup for the NBA  Finals opener Thursday night.

"Gary has had a really interesting path to this point," Kerr said. "He's bounced around with 6 or 7 different NBA teams. He's played in the G League, but he's found a home here on the floor with his play, but also off the floor with his community work. It's great to see someone who has been so diligent and resilient, to see all that work pay off, and now he's put himself where he's going to be able  to dictate some terms this summer for the first time in his career in terms of his next contract."

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