Is Arinze Onuaku Better Than Gary Payton? NBA Stats Decide

This is as close as it gets. Arinze Onuaku and Gary Payton split the statistical categories evenly — 4 apiece — making this one of the most genuinely contested PF comparisons in NBA history. When the numbers are this balanced, the debate comes down to which statistics matter most to you.

Arinze Onuaku's Blocks Per Game of 4 compared to Gary Payton's 0.2 represents a 1900% advantage — dramatically better than their counterpart in this critical category. It is the single most decisive number in this comparison and the clearest statistical argument for Arinze Onuaku's edge.

The most competitive category in this matchup is Assists Per Game, where Arinze Onuaku posts 9 against Gary Payton's 6.7 — a gap of just 34.3%. Gary Payton can point to this as evidence that the overall comparison is closer than the final 4-4 tally suggests. In any debate, Assists Per Game is the statistical ammunition for the Gary Payton side.

The forward position in professional basketball demands versatility — the ability to score, rebound and defend at an elite level. The most decorated forwards in NBA history have excelled across multiple statistical categories.

With categories split evenly, this comparison ultimately comes down to which statistics matter most to you. Arinze Onuaku claims the tiebreaker through Blocks Per Game advantage — a 1900% edge — but reasonable people can, and do, argue both sides of this NBA debate.