Gary Payton II Drops In With A New Pro Skate League

Gary Payton II, an NBA free agent, is stepping off the court and onto the concrete with the launch of a new professional skateboard league. The Skate Board Association (SBA) is a coed, six-team street league aiming to provide year-round support and relevance for skaters—a move that's part of a bigger trend of pro athletes creating leagues for action and Olympic sports.

So why is an NBA baller backing a skate league? Payton, who last played for the Golden State Warriors, told ESPN that his love for skateboarding started a long time ago. "The skate park was right next to the basketball court," he said. "I'd skate there with my friends and they'd skate the park and I'd hoop." He and his partners, Royce Campbell and Sheldon Lewis, saw a void in the sport. “Why hasn’t there been a professional league like the NFL, NBA, or NHL for skateboarding?” Payton said. “Let’s change the sports game and the skateboard game.”

A New Era for Skaters

The SBA will kick off its inaugural 10-game season next summer in Big Bear Lake, California. Each of the six teams will feature a roster of six athletes—three women and three men, plus reserves and coaches. The big news? The league is committed to equal pay for men and women.

The roster is already stacking up with some serious talent. So far, the league has signed 18 skaters to nonexclusive contracts, including Olympic silver medalist Kelvin Hoefler, SLS Select Series champ Manny Santiago, and X Games gold medalists Ryan Decenzo and Pamela Rosa. Silver medalist Samarria Brevard is also on board, and she says the league's structure will give skaters the stability they've been missing. "This is a game changer and will create avenues for us that weren't there before," Brevard said.

Beyond the Prize Purse

Unlike traditional skate competitions that pay out a one-off prize purse, the SBA will offer athletes steady salaries, bonuses, and a cut of merchandise sales. The top picks are looking at six-figure salaries, while even the lowest-paid pros will still be earning in the mid-five figures. It's a huge step toward professionalizing the sport and giving skaters a real shot at a career.

Payton is looking to build the SBA into an NBA-style league with multiple venues, training facilities, and an annual draft combine. He believes skaters deserve the same respect and support as players in major sports. "Skaters put more of their bodies on the line than athletes in most sports other than football," he said. "Why don't they get the same treatment as NBA players when they're taking more risks than we are?"

For Payton, it’s all about respecting the grind. "I want the skaters to be valued, and to get them the right sponsorships so they can take care of their bodies, take care of their families, buy their own crib," he said. "If I can change the game for them, that's a win."

He also predicts other pro athletes will jump in as owners. "A lot of athletes in football, basketball, they skated growing up and had to put down their boards to play their sport as a professional," Payton said. "To be an owner of an SBA skate team is bringing us back to playing Tony Hawk Pro Skater, picking the guys, picking the brands to skate for. So many people have that connection to skateboarding."

Payton, who will serve as the director of VIP relations and an owner of one of the teams, and his crew plan to sign at least 18 more skaters before the draft in Los Angeles later this year.