Oregon State’s Gary Payton II slams it home with authority (Video)

Gary Payton II of Oregon State is looking to make a big statement at the NCAA Tournament by throwing down vicious one-handed slams like this.

It was always going to be hard for Gary Payton II to fill his dad’s shoes. His father is arguably the most famous SuperSonics player of all-time and was part of a Lakers dream team that ultimately fell short of a championship. But after joining the same school as his dad, Gary Payton II is at least on his way to carving his name in Oregon State folklore alongside him.

Oregon State is in a back-and-forth contest with the VCU Rams, and the Beavers desperately want to avoid the same fate as fellow No. 7 seed Dayton, who got blown out earlier. And as long as Gary Payton II comes through with monster plays like this, he should help see his team through to victory:

While it wasn’t as good as Zach LaVine and Aaron Gordon, it was still a nasty dunk, and probably the best one of the tournament so far. Payton has put up 15.9 points per game this season and is trying to will his team to victory with 19 points so far against VCU. It’s Payton’s first appearance in the Tournament, but he looks like he belongs. And if he’s able to lead a comeback, then he’ll have a bright future in the NBA ahead of him.