"League is Different": Gary Payton Gives LeBron James Flowers Over Victor Wembanyama Comparison

LeBron James is already the measuring stick for the next crop of elite NBA talent. With how well he's played over the years, any new superstar will always be assessed on how they stack up to James in various aspects.

This is most evident right now with San Antonio Spurs star Victor Wembanyama. With how impressive he's been in his first three years in the NBA, comparisons to greats like James are pouring in.

Not all those comparisons are positive, though. Some people are more critical of Wemby and are comparing him to a standard that's impossible to measure: generational difference.

This was the case in a recent episode of 'Game Over.' Max Kellerman and Rich Paul, co-hosts of this podcast, had 2006 NBA champ Gary Payton as a guest.

During their conversation, they discussed the state of the NBA today compared to previous eras. In that discussion, they talked about how much things have favored Wemby since he joined the league.

Kellerman said that James had to leave the Cleveland Cavaliers because the team was not set up right. Meanwhile, Jordan had to wait for Scottie Pippen to emerge into stardom while he was getting destroyed by the Detroit Pistons early in his career.

Paul tried to break down Wemby's situation by crediting the Spurs for being well-prepared. However, Payton cut him off to explain the generational difference that's also favoring Wemby.

"The league is different, too, though. I'm gonna tell you the truth, it's not as tough as when me and LeBron that was in the league," Payton said. "Because we had a lot of teams that were really more dominant, especially in my era."

Payton then enumerated the teams that were dominating during his days and during the early stages of LeBron's career. This also prompted the others to list the dominant teams and players from bygone eras.

Throughout the conversation, though, the gist is that Wemby is succeeding in an easier era.

It's impossible to definitively compare players from different eras of basketball. However, there is something Wemby accomplished much earlier in his career than most of the superstars he's being compared to from the past.

Victor Wembanyama Has Led His Squad to the Finals Faster Than LeBron James or Michael Jordan

Victor Wembanyama is only in the first postseason run of his career. Already, he's put together some legendary performances that have allowed him to carve his name in the NBA's record books.

With this being only his third season in the league, he's accomplished something that LeBron James and Michael Jordan achieved later in their careers.

Michael Jordan reached the playoffs in his rookie season. However, the Chicago Bulls were eliminated in the first round that year by the Milwaukee Bucks.

Jordan would also help his team make the playoffs every year, but he would not reach the Finals until 1991.

As for LeBron James, he and the Cleveland Cavaliers would not reach the playoffs until his third season in the league. He would also only make his first Finals in 2007, where they were swept by the San Antonio Spurs.