Long before Lob City rose in Los Angeles, there was Sonic Boom in Seattle during the 90s. Gary Payton and Shawn Kemp were Lob City before Lob City. As a duo, they led the Seattle SuperSonics to great success.
Seattle made seven consecutive playoff appearances behind its dynamic duo. They had four straight seasons with at least 55 wins, including a franchise-best 64 wins during the 1995-96 season, where they made it to the 1996 NB Finals.
"No disrespect to CP and them and all that, but we were the first ones with Lob City. Me and Shawn was the first ones to get it like that. Playing with him for seven years was amazing," said Payton.
Payton stayed in Seattle longer but ultimately got traded too after he feuded with new owner Howard Schultz. Gary also struggled to find success without Shawn but he played longer at an elite level and even won a championship with the Miami Heat in 2006. Gary was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2013 while Kemp's Hall-worthiness continues to be debated on.
"I always tell Shawn this," added GP. "I said 'If we wouldn't have got our egos messed up, and his ego messed up if he would have stayed with me more years, he'll be a Hall of Famer by now because we would have made a bigger dynasty than we did. We were one of the greatest duos to have played with each other."
"The one thing, if I go back, we don't break that relationship," Kemp lamented of his split with Gary. "Matter of fact, when I tell him now, say we go back, man, we are supposed to go up there in the office and tell them to make that [expletive] work. Instead of getting mad and upset about this and that."
There's no question that Kemp was one of the most iconic NBA players of all time. His run with Payton in Seattle was an impressive stretch in the franchise's history. Unfortunately, he didn't handle things too well, which ended up hurting his career and, now, his Hall of Fame status.
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Seattle made seven consecutive playoff appearances behind its dynamic duo. They had four straight seasons with at least 55 wins, including a franchise-best 64 wins during the 1995-96 season, where they made it to the 1996 NB Finals.
"No disrespect to CP and them and all that, but we were the first ones with Lob City. Me and Shawn was the first ones to get it like that. Playing with him for seven years was amazing," said Payton.
Payton made the Hall of Fame but Kemp isn't there yet
However, after seven fruitful years together, they broke up. Shawn started having personal issues, and he butted heads with management after the team signed seven-footer Jim McIlvaine to a more lucrative contract than his. Kemp ended up getting traded to the Cleveland Cavaliers, and his career went downhill after that.Payton stayed in Seattle longer but ultimately got traded too after he feuded with new owner Howard Schultz. Gary also struggled to find success without Shawn but he played longer at an elite level and even won a championship with the Miami Heat in 2006. Gary was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2013 while Kemp's Hall-worthiness continues to be debated on.
"I always tell Shawn this," added GP. "I said 'If we wouldn't have got our egos messed up, and his ego messed up if he would have stayed with me more years, he'll be a Hall of Famer by now because we would have made a bigger dynasty than we did. We were one of the greatest duos to have played with each other."
Kemp says breaking up with GP was the biggest regret of his career
Last year, Kemp acknowledged that leaving Seattle was the biggest mistake of his NBA career. During an appearance on the "All the Smoke" podcast, the "Reign Man" said that perhaps he and "The Glove" could have resolved their differences with management by meeting with them instead of him alienating himself and asking out of Seattle."The one thing, if I go back, we don't break that relationship," Kemp lamented of his split with Gary. "Matter of fact, when I tell him now, say we go back, man, we are supposed to go up there in the office and tell them to make that [expletive] work. Instead of getting mad and upset about this and that."
There's no question that Kemp was one of the most iconic NBA players of all time. His run with Payton in Seattle was an impressive stretch in the franchise's history. Unfortunately, he didn't handle things too well, which ended up hurting his career and, now, his Hall of Fame status.
Gary Payton shares his biggest Shawn Kemp regret: "If we didn't get our ego messed up, he would be a HOF"
Gary Payton believes that Shawn Kemp was definitely going to end up in the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame if he chose to remain with him in Seattle.
