Gary Payton II, an NBA free agent, is launching the Skate Board Association (SBA), a coed six-team professional street league debuting in 2025.
NBA free agent Gary Payton II is stepping into a new arena, launching a professional skateboard league called the Skate Board Association (SBA).
The league will debut next summer in Big Bear Lake, California, with six coed teams competing in a 10-game inaugural season, according to ESPN’s Alyssa Roenigk.
Payton, who last suited up for the Golden State Warriors, co-founded the SBA with Royce Campbell and Sheldon Lewis, drawing inspiration from his lifelong passion for skateboarding.
“Growing up, I always wanted to be a skateboarder. The skate park was right next to the basketball court,” Payton said. “I’d skate there with my friends and they’d skate the park and I’d hoop.”
The SBA aims to change the way skateboarders are supported, offering salaries, bonuses, revenue sharing from merchandise, and equal pay for men and women.
Credit AP-SCANPIX
The league has already secured 18 athletes, including Olympic medalists Kelvin Hoefler, Ryan Decenzo, Pamela Rosa, Manny Santiago, and Samarria Brevard. Payton will serve as director of VIP relations while also owning one of the six teams.
“This is a game changer and will create avenues for us that weren’t there before,” Brevard said.
For Payton, the mission is clear — to create stability and recognition for professional skaters.
“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. If I can change the game for them, that’s a win.”
Payton also hopes to bring in other professional athletes as team owners, blending their passion for skateboarding with sports management.
“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 concluded.
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