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Many players in the NBA grew up watching and admiring LeBron James. However, one young superstar is not in that bunch. Budding superstar Shai Gilgeous-Alexander said he was not a fan of the king when he was growing up.
In a podcast, the player said:
“I never liked [LeBron's] game. To me, when I was younger he was just super athletic, I wasn't that. He was 6'8", and super strong and I wasn't that either.”
The two players have different body types. SGA stands at 6’6” and a slimmer 195 pounds, while James is a specimen at 6’9” and 250 pounds. The two put up similar numbers, however, James has transitioned to more of a point guard and playmaker.
LeBron was averaging 29.5 points, 8.4 rebounds and 6.9 assists per game before his injury this season. The Thunder’s Gilgeous-Alexander is averaging 31.4 points, 4.8 rebounds, and 5.5 assists this season. He is the 4th leading scorer in the league and 30th in assists.
They shot similarly from the field as well. James was shooting 50.1% from the field and 30.8% from three, while Gilgeous-Alexander is shooting 51.0% from the field and 34.9% from three.
Gilgeous-Alexander is a much better free throw shooter than James. He is shooting 90.4% from the line this season and is a 84.1% free throw shooter for his career. Meanwhile, James was shooting 75.9% from the line this season before his injury and is 73.5% from the charity stripe for his career.
James plays much more of a physical style and has a lot more experience in the post than Gilgeous-Alexander, who attacks the basket head on more often. Gilgeous-Alexander is not the only player who has taken some subtle shots at James this week.
Former NBA champion Mario Chalmers said “nobody fears Bron”. Chalmers was a former teammate of James on the Miami Heat.
Chalmers and Gilgeous-Alexander’s quotes show a growing trend that James may not have the stature he once possessed in the league. The younger players who once idolized the kid from Akron may not view him as an equal or lesser as he ages.
Guess the Lakers players!
