Gary Payton II has been named the 2020-21 NBA G League Defensive Player of the Year.

Payton II (6-3, 195, Oregon State) led the NBA G League in steals per game (2.54) and finished second in total steals (33) to go with 10.8 points, 5.6 rebounds and 2.6 assists in 13 games. He recorded nine games with two or more steals. 

On Feb. 13, Payton II matched his regular-season career high with seven steals and grabbed a season-high 11 defensive rebounds against NBA G League Ignite. He also had seven steals and added 10 points, six rebounds and six assists against the Greensboro Swarm on Feb. 26.  

Rio Grande Valley Vipers forward Anthony Lamb has been named the 2020-21 NBA G League Most Improved Player, the NBA G League announced today.  The award honors the player who demonstrates the most significant improvement during the season.

In his first NBA G League season, Lamb (6-6, 227, Vermont) averaged 11.2 points, 5.6 rebounds and 2.1 assists in 21.7 minutes in 12 regular-season games.  He played his first six games with the Canton Charge and his final six games with the Vipers.     

Lamb averaged 4.2 points and 2.3 rebounds in 9.6 minutes in his six games with Canton, which selected him with the sixth overall pick in the 2021 NBA G League Draft.  Acquired by Rio Grande Valley in a trade with the Charge on Feb. 25, Lamb averaged 18.2 points, 8.8 rebounds, 3.7 assists, 1.50 steals and 1.33 blocks in 33.8 minutes while shooting 56.0% from the field and 41.9% from three-point range in his six games with the Vipers.