Gary Payton: ‘I Could Never Play Basketball in This Soft Era’

Hall of Fame point guard Gary Payton was one of the fiercest players in the League during his career, which spanned from 1990 to 2007. He was a notorious trash talker and a savagely tough defender. He was never scared to get in someone’s face, be it an opponent or a referee.

So it’s not surprising that The Glove might look at today’s NBA and say this:

https://twitter.com/GaryPayton_20/status/701098818813562880

These days, technicals and flagrant fouls are given out at a more frequent rate—whether you believe that’s for legitimate safety concerns or because the NBA has become “soft” is a matter of opinion. GP is making his opinion known.

One thing there’s no doubt about: Payton would definitely rack up fines in today’s era. What do you think of GP’s comments?