Former NBA All-Star Gary Payton has been named as the head men’s basketball coach at the College of Alameda.

“Gary Payton is the right choice for the College Of Alameda for a number of reasons,” athletic director Ramaundo Vaughn said. “Gary has always been a leader and winner. We know that Coach Payton will hold our athletes accountable on the court, in the classroom and in the community. During the interview process, he spoke about having our student-athletes in the community, giving back. The energy and passion that he brings along with his genuine love for the East Bay is unmatched. The opportunity for our players to learn from one of the all-time NBA greats and Olympic gold medalist is one that we knew we could not afford to pass up.”

Payton, the 2nd overall pick in the 1990 draft, was a nine-time NBA All-Star, and won a championship with the Miami Heat in 2006. He had served as the head coach at Lincoln University (CA) from 2021-24, and has also been coaching in the Big3 league. This past season he led Bivouac to a title while being named the league’s coach of the year.