Before Payton Pritchard became a standout guard for the Boston Celtics, before he dazzled fans with his deep shooting range and relentless energy, he was just a high school sophomore with a dream, and a relentless drive to chase it.
In a recent interview, Pritchard shared a formative chapter of his basketball journey: the summer he spent playing one-on-one against former NBA point guard Steve Blake.
“I never won a game,” Pritchard admitted with a laugh, recalling the daily matchups that became a ritual during that pivotal summer. “He kind of admired how hard I work, he saw potential in me.”
Blake, who played 13 seasons in the NBA and was known for his steady leadership and sharp passing, became an unlikely mentor to the young Oregon native. Their sessions weren’t casual shootarounds, they were intense, competitive battles that tested Pritchard’s limits. Each loss was a lesson, each possession a chance to absorb the nuances of the professional game.
For Pritchard, those games weren’t just about winning, they were about earning respect. Blake’s willingness to play with him day after day was a signal that the young guard was worth investing in.
“He didn’t have to do that,” Pritchard said. “But he saw something in me, and that meant everything.”
Payton Pritchard says he 1v1’d Steve Blake every day during his sophomore summer of high school
“I didn’t beat him once.” 😂 pic.twitter.com/UP7OMZG0Px
— White Noise Podcast w/Derrick White (@whitenoisepod_) October 8, 2025
The experience left a lasting imprint. Pritchard carried the lessons from those one-on-one duels into his high school career, then to the University of Oregon, and eventually into the NBA.
Looking back, the summer of losses to Steve Blake wasn’t a setback, it was a launchpad. It was the kind of quiet, behind-the-scenes grind that defines the careers of players who refuse to be outworked. And for Pritchard, it was proof that even in defeat, growth is inevitable when you show up every day with purpose.
