Gary Payton treated Filipino basketball fans to candid opinions and unforgettable stories during a special panel hosted by Daily Fantasy, the Philippines’ first officially licensed fantasy sports provider.

The 2006 NBA champion and Naismith Basketball Hall of Famer joined event host Tin Gamboa, former pro Jared Dillinger, and fantasy basketball analyst Papi Roi. In his fourth visit to the Philippines, Payton mixed humor, insight, and strong takes that delighted the crowd.

Payton slams four-point line experiments

One of the most heated topics was the four-point line. Several basketball leagues have experimented with the rule, and the NBA has openly discussed adopting it in the future.

Payton made it clear he doesn’t support the change.

“You should only be able to shoot a three-pointer; that’s it,” he said. “You get fouled on a three, you get a four-point play. That’s it. I don’t want that in the game. You’re gonna mess the game up, and then it’s gonna be sloppy. I don’t want sloppy basketball. Don’t put it in a game of 5-on-5.”

His remarks came as the NBA continues to evaluate new scoring wrinkles, citing the evolution of modern offenses.

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Lessons from Michael Jordan and the lost art of trash talk

Beyond rule changes, Gary Payton reflected on his 17-season NBA career, including a humbling moment against Michael Jordan during his rookie year.

“Guess who we play in the first game of the year? Michael Jordan,” he said. “He tells BJ (Armstrong), ‘I’m guarding the rookie.’ Next thing you know, I enter the game and get into foul trouble real quick. Jordan has 35, 36 points in 10 minutes. He comes over to me and says, ‘Welcome to the NBA, young fella.’ It was an eye-opener.”

Payton also lamented how the game’s intensity and culture have changed, especially trash talking — a trademark of his playing days.

“Trash talking is not in basketball anymore,” he said. “Players just yell. They’re not looking at anybody because it’s gonna be taunting, and they’ll get in trouble.”

He attributed this shift to social media and stricter league monitoring.

“They don’t want it in the game because kids are watching these athletes way too closely,” he added. “When something happens in the NBA now, they’re reviewing it, then suddenly you’re up on the ‘tron and on social media. They don’t want that with kids.”

Advice for the next generation

Payton shared a message from his college coach Ralph Miller at Oregon State, urging young athletes to stay humble and keep learning.

“I am never against learning anything,” he said. “Kids have to understand there will always be someone greater. Work hard, keep learning, and soak up all the knowledge you can. If you think you’ve learned everything, you should hang up your shoes.”

To cap off his Manila appearance, Payton built his ultimate fantasy five: Tyrese Haliburton, Anthony Edwards, Kawhi Leonard, Anthony Davis, and Nikola Jokić. He also tried halo-halo for the first time and joined Daily Fantasy’s honor players in a meet-and-greet.