Just like the rest of us last year, Gary Payton II was locked in watching "The Last Dance" documentary about Michael Jordan's final season with the Chicago Bulls. The sixth episode of the eight-part doc had a special place for the Warriors guard, too.
His father, Hall of Fame point guard Gary Payton, was front and center for the episode as his Seattle SuperSonics faced Jordan and the Bulls in the 1996 NBA Finals. Then came the meme.
As Jordan watched Payton explain he believed the series flipped when he started guarding the Bulls legend, MJ gave a confused look, tilted his head back and began frivolously laughing.
Stay in the game with the latest updates on your beloved Bay Area and California sports teams! Sign up here for our All Access Daily newsletter.
"A lot of people backed down to Mike, I didn't," Payton said. "I made it a point, I said, 'Just tired him out. Tire the f--k out of him. You just got to tire him out.' And I kept hittin' him and bangin' him and hittin' him and bangin' him. It took a toll on Mike. ... And then, the series changed."
Jordan, to no surprise, disagreed.
"The Glove ... I had no problem with The Glove," Jordan said of the elder Payton. "I had no problem with Gary Payton. I had a lot of other things on my mind."
On Wednesday morning, the younger Payton was asked about Jordan laughing and his comments about his father. To him, it's all good.
"No, I know the battles between them," Payton II said on 95.7 The Game's "Morning Roast." "It's so much respect between them. But on the court, you got a job to do. Between those line, we ain't got no friends. I know they got so much respect off the court.
Golden State Warriors
"It is what it is, it went down how it went down."
The Bulls took a three-games-to-none lead on Seattle before Payton began guarding Jordan for the entire game. Jordan was averaging 31 points per game before Game 4, but shot just 31.6 percent from the field while scoring 11 of his 23 points from the free throw line in a Game 4 loss. He scored 26 points in Game 5 but the Bulls again lost.
Chicago beat the SuperSonics in Game 6 to end Payton's season and give Jordan his fourth championship.
RELATED: Draymond's lockdown defense fueled by Warriors' real title chances
The Warriors signed Payton II to a non-guaranteed contract on the day of the season opener this year, and he has exceeded expectations. Like his father, he's a defensive star and can put up points when needed. He has a 94 defensive rating on the year, and is a plus-8.5.
The younger Payton doesn't get the recognition his father did. But just like Jordan's comments didn't faze him, neither do offensive stars for opposing teams.