We can also just remember the GP who scored over 25/game and while dishing out over 8 assists/game, his senior year. We haven't had a guard who even sniffs 8 assists/game, much less backs it up with over 25 points/game, since GP Sr. left, have we? He was also in the top ten all-time steals leaders when he graduated and I don't think Jr. would have held up to Sr. in that matchup. Sr. also had 2 inches over Jr., I think.
Gary Payton leads Oregon State all-time in assists. In fact, Oregon State's all-time single season assist leaderboard reads:
1. Gary Payton (Junior)
2. Gary Payton (Senior)
3. Gary Payton (Sophomore)
4. Gary Payton (Freshman)
Also, Pac-12 leader in all-time assists:
1. Gary Payton
Gary Payton's four seasons all rank in the top 12 for assists per game and top 16 overall in Pac-12 history.
And Payton's senior season ranks fourth all-time in the Pac-12 in points.
In the last 35 years, five Beavers are in the top 40 in single season ppg:
4. Gary Payton (Senior)
17. Jose Ortiz (Senior)
32. Brent Barry (Senior)
37. Tres Tinkle (Junior)
39. Roberto Nelson (Senior)
As for steals, Payton ranks #1 all-time at Oregon State and #2 all-time in the Pac-12.
Single season steals per game at Oregon State looks like this:
1. Gary Payton I (Senior)
2. Gary Payton II (Junior)
3. Gary Payton I (Junior)
3. Lester Conner (Senior)
5. Jared Cunningham (Sophomore)
6. Brent Barry (Senior)
7. Jared Cunningham (Junior)
8. Gary Payton II (Senior)
9. Brent Barry (Junior)
10. Gary Payton I (Sophomore)
All of those rank in the top 40 of steals per game in the Pac-12 in the past 35 years.
No one came close to what GP1 did.
Since GPI, the guard with the most:
Assists in a season:
1. Gary Payton II 161
2. Deaundra Tanner 143
3. Lamar Hurd
138
Points in a season:
1. Roberto Nelson
663
2. Jared Cunningham 645
3. Roberto Nelson
569
Steals in a season:
1. Gary Payton II 95
2. Jared Cunningham 91
3. Jared Cunningham 85