Corridor Of Famer Gary Payton Appears To Make Mark As Faculty Coach At Oakland’s Lincoln College – CBS San Francisco

OAKLAND, Calif. (AP) – Up in the Oakland Hills, Gary Payton roars good-naturedly as if he were still on the pitch during his time as a dynamic point guard at the Seattle SuperSonics, but this time he’s closely teaching his Lincoln University assistant coaches where you want them to stand for a group photo, and so position them.

“Coach, the other way,” he orders Lester Conner on his right, adjusting his shoulders before looking at CJ Ashford on his left and ordering, “Turn over here.”

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Payton even throws up both hands as if “The Glove” is playing its signature stifling lockdown defense again.

Payton is the new men’s basketball coach at Lincoln, who launched college athletics for the first time in its 101-year history, and he is determined to make a lasting impression on the young players at the small school in his hometown of Oakland leave behind. There’s Guardian Jairren Lillard, younger brother of Portland Trail Blazers star Damian Lillard. And another guard named Isaiah Attles, the grandson of Golden State Warriors Hall of Famer Al Attles.

Lincoln head coach Gary Payton listens to his phone in Oakland, Calif. On Wednesday, September 29, 2021. Hall of Famer Payton is Lincoln University’s new men’s basketball coach determined to make a lasting impression in his hometown. (AP Photo / Janie McCauley)

“His presence is strongly felt in every room he enters,” said the younger Lillard. “If he steps into the room with us young men and has to do that, it’s different because many of us came from a program in which we weren’t really trained. They threw you a ball and just said ‘play ball’. There will be structure with him. He will teach you how to be a man not only on the court but also how to be a man off the court and he is simply a good role model for all of us at this time in our lives. “

You are here to help basketball-mad Oakland with a guide in Payton who knows how much his mere presence as leading this team could mean to a city that recently left two professional franchises and another that is theirs Explore options, make an impression in basketball-mad Oakland. The Warriors have moved to San Francisco, the Raiders from Oakland to Las Vegas and the Athletics are pursuing opportunities in Las Vegas if they can’t build a new ballpark here.

“I only took this job because I could bring something back to Oakland, California,” said Payton, who retired from the 2007 NBA Hall of Fame career. “And I can bring a lot of players with me from this bay.” Area and let them see that we still have a lot of good basketball players here. These young kids don’t know how to play basketball yet, but they will. “

Most are upper class people and transfers looking for a fresh start. Isaiah Attles has played at Contra Costa College and Alcorn State.

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“The support we have from Gary and our other coaches and the support from Oakland that we can go to school out here and not have to go anywhere outside the Bay Area is just a blessing,” said Attles. “I can’t ask for more. We are well positioned to be successful. It’s all up to us now. “

Lincoln is downtown, but the Oaklanders are training at a Merritt College gym and will play games in the Warriors’ former home arena.

“It’s another opportunity for children in Oakland,” said Guards Guard Juan Toscano-Anderson, who grew up in the city. “Gary is obviously a Hall of Famer, an Oakland legend, and I think the kids will respect that. Everyone in the Oakland basketball community admires Gary. He knows what he’s talking about, he knows what he’s doing, so I’m curious to see what happens up there. It’s just another opportunity for children in Oakland to follow their dreams. When it’s not about basketball, there are opportunities related to the game in the classroom. Hopefully it’s going well. “

Golden State coach Steve Kerr can’t wait to see how Payton develops.

“We have such a deeply rooted connection with Oakland, so I think it’s cool that Gary trains there and that the great tradition of Oakland basketball is continued and continued by leading his own team and also with these Warrior connections”, Called Kerr. “This is exciting. I need to check it out.”

Payton expects a full house when Lincoln plays in Seattle Pacific on Saturday. The team opens in Western Washington on Wednesday and hits Central Washington two days later.

Regardless of the early results, Payton will keep his players disciplined. He believes the program will gain momentum and grow if he can build fundamentally healthy athletes who are dedicated to learning and who make great strides. And, he hopes, ultimately not only attracting top recruits, but also nationally ranked opponents.

“Well, I’m not going to tell you how to do it, but it’s pretty tough,” Payton said with a big grin and chuckle. “And my children understand. I have a good group of children. They know that I’m a no-nonsense coach, I won’t assume that. I can’t stand all the madness. I’m very strict, and once you put it in and you buy your way, you have to get involved in what is going on and when you buy your way, you get the results. ”

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