In one line
Gary Payton is a hybrid bred by Powerzzzup Genetics and released through Cookies. Its parents are The Y x Snowman. Published profiles lead with beta-caryophyllene, then limonene and linalool, and the nose is fuel, pepper and dried fruit. As of October 3, 2026, flower sold as hemp under the name has to pass the delta-9 test and state law.
In this note
Gary Payton is a Powerzzzup Genetics cross of The Y x Snowman, released through Cookies. On menus it is a balanced hybrid, and most published profiles lead with beta-caryophyllene. Cookies sells it through the licensed-dispensary lane. Hemp-lane flower uses the same name, but it is a different supply chain.
The file
| Field | On record | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Breeder | Powerzzzup Genetics, in a Cookies collaboration | Leafly |
| Parents | The Y x Snowman | Leafly |
| Half-sibling | Cereal Milk (Y Life x Snowman) | Leafly: Cereal Milk |
| Lead terpene | beta-Caryophyllene | Leafly lab-partner data |
| Next terpenes | Limonene, linalool | Leafly |
| Reported flavor | Fuel, pepper, apricot, lavender | Leafly reviewer tags |
| Competition | 2nd place, The Emerald Cup 2022 (per Leafly) | Leafly |
What is Gary Payton a cross of?
Gary Payton is The Y crossed with Snowman. Powerzzzup Genetics made the cross and Cookies brought it to market. According to Leaf Magazine’s strain history, the keeper came from a phenotype hunt and was pheno number 20. That matched the jersey number of the NBA Hall of Famer the strain is named after. He licensed his name to Cookies for the 2019 release (Leaf Magazine). THCA Universe has no relationship with him or with Cookies.
Snowman is the shared link to Cereal Milk. Both strains come out of the same Powerzzzup and Cookies program. The shared parent is why the two get compared, even though the overall profiles go in different directions: fuel for Gary Payton, sweet cream for Cereal Milk.
What does it smell and taste like?
Reviewers report diesel, rubber and black pepper up front, with apricot and a lavender-like floral note underneath. The chemistry fits:
| Terpene | What it adds | Note |
|---|---|---|
| beta-Caryophyllene | Pepper, warm spice | Lead in most published profiles |
| Limonene | Citrus lift | Brightens the fuel |
| Linalool | Lavender, floral | The floral tail reviewers mention |
“Gas” is a market word, not a lab measurement. The sulfur compounds behind fuel aromas are rarely on a standard COA terpene panel. That is why two Gary Payton bags with similar terpene totals can smell different.
Name check: what the label proves
A strain name is a claim. A COA is evidence about chemistry, but it says nothing about lineage. If a Gary Payton listing is real, you can check these on paper:
- The Batch or lot code on the COA matches the bag label.
- The test date is recent enough for the bag you are buying. Terpenes fade, and THCA slowly converts to delta-9 in storage.
- A terpene panel with caryophyllene near the top is consistent with the published profile. It does not prove the genetics.
- The lab is ISO/IEC 17025 accredited and lists a sample ID you can look up.
No lab test confirms that a plant is a specific Cookies cut. Only the source of the clone or seed can tell you that.
Log 2026-10-03: two lanes, one name
As of October 3, 2026, a Gary Payton sold in a California dispensary and one sold online as hemp are regulated by different laws.
| Licensed-dispensary lane | Hemp-retail lane | |
|---|---|---|
| Who licenses it | The state cannabis regulator (in California, the DCC) | Nobody licenses retail; federal and state hemp law set the limits |
| Federal test today | Not hemp; state-legal marijuana | 0.3% delta-9 THC, dry weight (7 U.S.C. 1639o) |
| December 11, 2026 | No change from the hemp rule | High-THCA flower stops qualifying as hemp |
The December 11 date comes from two laws. Section 781 of P.L. 119-37, signed November 12, 2025, redefines hemp by total THC including THCA. H.R. 6500, signed September 2, 2026, moved the effective date for naturally occurring cannabinoids to December 11, 2026. California has already closed the hemp lane for flower. Under AB 8, in effect since January 1, 2026, hemp flower and pre-rolls cannot be sold at hemp retail there, so California buyers get this strain only through DCC licensees.
Sources
- Leafly: Gary Payton and Cereal Milk
- Leaf Magazine: Behind the strain, Gary Payton
- 7 U.S.C. 1639o
- Congress.gov: H.R. 5371, H.R. 6500
- California DCC: hemp
Not legal advice. Last reviewed October 3, 2026.
Asked at the desk
What two strains make Gary Payton?
The Y and Snowman. Powerzzzup Genetics bred it and Cookies released it. Snowman is also a parent of Cereal Milk, so the two are half-siblings.
Why is the strain called Gary Payton?
The name refers to the former NBA guard. Cannabis trade press reports that the selected cut was phenotype number 20, the number he wore in Seattle. The strain name has no connection to this site.
What does Gary Payton smell like?
Reviewers describe diesel and rubber up front over pepper, with a dried-fruit sweetness. That fits a caryophyllene-led terpene profile.
Can Gary Payton THCA flower be shipped after December 11, 2026?
Not as hemp. From that date, the federal hemp definition counts THCA in total THC at 0.3%. High-THCA flower then becomes federally controlled, whatever the strain name.
Log 2026-10-04 Last checked and updated on October 4, 2026.