LeBron James has gone from drawing inspiration by some of the game’s greats to sharing some of his own with some of the future prospects to take his throne. Among them was Philadelphia 76ers point forward Ben Simmons, a generational talent that had drawn comparisons to him since playing in his native Australia.
As the young up-and-coming talent tailored his game to emulate James’ all-around skill set, the young gun received a piece of advice that stuck with him through his struggles in LSU and even further through his first year in the league in which he sat out for its entirety with a broken fifth metatarsal in his right foot.
“You have an opportunity, to be better than me.” James told a then-17-year-old Simmons, according to Lee Jenkins of Sports Illustrated. “You can’t skip steps. You have to do the work.”
Yet the stage was big for Simmons, lauded early for his playmaking skills at his size and his willingness to find the open man and create with such ease.
The 21-year-old noted one particular aspect of James that has made him such an icon to look up to.
“Part of his greatness,” Simmons said, “is that he wants others to be just as great.”
James is coming into his 15th year in the league and now passing on the advice to those with the potential to become something special. Simmons has shown that with averages of 18.7 points, 9.5 rebounds, and 7.2 assists per game through his rookie season.
