OAKLAND  Dont ask Gary Payton to wade in on the LeBron James vs. Michael Jordan debate.
Me, I think Wilt Chamberlain and Kareem (Abdul-Jabbar) are the two best basketball players ever, Payton said Wednesday during NBA Finals media day. Wilt Chamberlain, by far, is my best basketball player. Best athlete ever.
Chamberlain averaged a record 50.4 points per game in 1961-62, and Abdul-Jabbar remains the NBAs career scoring leader.
Payton said James performances stand on their own and dont need to be measured against what Jordan achieved.
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I dont compare them  different eras. He has his era, Michael had his era. Youve got two players who dominated their eras, said the Hall of Fame guard, whose defensive prowess earned him the nickname, The Glove.
LeBron is making a case for himself to be one of the greatest players to ever play, Payton said. People are going to say he only won three championships. Michael won six. So what? Eight straight Finals is really good.
Payton believes the Warriors will win in four or five games, unless Clevelands supporting players step up big.
If the other guys dont make shots, it might be a quick series, he said. The pressure is on the other guys to make plays. Theyve got to be aggressive and theyve got to perform.
A native of Oakland who attended Skyline High School, Payton takes special pride in seeing his hometown team on this stage.
Every year to come see (the NBA Finals) in Oakland, it just makes my city better, Payton said.