SI

Will Ferrell Shares Cool Moment With Warriors' Gary Payton II After Win vs. Lakers

Patrick Andres

Actor Will Ferrell applauds a point between Carlos Alcaraz and Alexander Zverev.
Actor Will Ferrell applauds a point between Carlos Alcaraz and Alexander Zverev. / Andy Abeyta/The Desert Sun / USA TODAY
In this story:

Wednesday was a good night for the Golden State Warriors, who topped the Los Angeles Lakers 134–120 to continue their playoff push.

It might have been an even better night for Warriors guard Gary Payton II. In addition to contributing nine points in Golden State's victory, he enjoyed a priceless moment with actor Will Ferrell after the game.

In full view of photographers following the game, a grinning Payton pointed at Ferrell as the latter posed with his back to the camera—wearing Payton's father's No. 20 Lakers jersey.

The elder Gary Payton spent the 2003-04 season with Los Angeles, averaging 14.6 points per game for a Western Conference champion.

After their Kodak moment, the younger Payton signed his jersey for Ferrell while the actor dapped up guard Steph Curry.

Ferrell is a longtime Lakers fan, to the extent that he is said to have fallen out with director and longtime collaborator Adam McKay after McKay failed to cast him as Los Angeles patriarch Jerry Buss in Winning Time.

Published
Patrick Andres
PATRICK ANDRES

Patrick Andres is a staff writer on the Breaking and Trending News team at Sports Illustrated. He joined SI in December 2022, having worked for The Blade, Athlon Sports, Fear the Sword and Diamond Digest. Andres has covered everything from zero-attendance Big Ten basketball to a seven-overtime college football game. He is a graduate of Northwestern University's Medill School of Journalism with a double major in history .

Home/NFL