Victor Oladipo is ‘sick and tired’ of being compared to Paul George

The Pacers are sitting pretty in the middle of the Eastern Conference playoff race and Victor Oladipo is the biggest reason why. Meanwhile, in Oklahoma City, the Thunder are struggling to close out games and are on the outside looking in at the playoffs despite having Paul George and two other All-Star caliber players.

So, naturally, comparisons between these two teams who completed the biggest trade of the summer will happen. But Oladipo isn’t feeling them, according to a report from the Indy Star.

“I’m kind of getting sick and tired of the comparisons with Paul George and myself,” Oladipo said after a comeback win against the Nuggets. “He’s moved on. I moved on from the situation that I was in. Life takes its course, things happen. I’m happy here, he’s happy there. I wish him all the best. I’m feathery, right here as a Pacer. I don’t have no disrespect towards him, or what happened. I’m just grateful, and honored, to put on this jersey every night.”

Oladipo is right. The past is the past and everything that has happened is over and done with. But this is a trade people will revisit for years down the line, no matter how sick and tired we are of doing it.

Outside of the comparisons between Oladipo and George, people will compare how the Thunder are performing with George to the performance of the Pacers. That’s just the way things work in this business.

They completed the biggest trade of the summer and no one expected the results to be what they are right now this far into the season. It’s a truly fascinating topic. Does that mean George and Oladipo will be compared? Of course. And that’s not necessarily a bad thing.

You won’t see an NBA player come out and openly asked to be compared to another player. All players are different and Oladipo understands that. Comparing himself to George could probably be seen as a slight to the Thunder organization and George himself, which wouldn’t be a great thing.

What Oladipo is saying here makes sense. He’s happy as a Pacer. George got what he wanted by getting out of Indiana, so he’s probably happy to move on with his career. Both players are getting the fresh start they wanted.

At the same time, the comparisons won’t do any justice to the moment that we have right now with the Pacers and Oladipo. This is a different team and a different time for everyone. We should appreciate that, too, and be sure not to only dwell on past comparisons.