Dez Bryant Earns LeBron James-Type Praise From An Opposing Coach

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If you’re an athlete who can be compared to LeBron James, typically that means you’re doing something right…at least in the non-hair or style division.

The New York Jets are preparing to face the Dallas Cowboys this weekend and head coach Todd Bowles wasn’t hesitant to hand out praise to Cowboys’ star receiver Dez Bryant in the week leading up to the matchup. Bowles, facing Dallas for the first time since taking over coaching duties for the Jets, made sure it was known that the team was doing their best to prepare for Bryant, one of the game’s best young wide receivers.

Bryant reeled in a career-high 16 touchdowns last season and came into this season hoping to put up an even more impressive number, but he has been slowed by an early-season foot injury, a struggle to regain form, the absence of one Tony Romo behind center, and quite possibly distractions in the media. But, despite Bryant’s lackluster season so far, Bowles isn’t underestimating his potential impact.

In fact, Bowles went as far as to compare the receiver to Lebron.

“Dez Bryant being slow is like LeBron (James) being slow,” Bowles said. “You going to get something from him, something out of him. He is a great player. You never slow down. You will just find different ways to beat people. So we are expecting the best Dez Bryant we are going to see.”

Bowles comparison was spurred by Jets safety Calvin Pryor, who earlier in the week said that Bryant hasn’t “looked the same since he had his foot injury.” Neither of these statements is particularly  incorrect, but both should put some more pressure on Bryant to step up to the plate and regain his old form this weekend. That won’t exactly be an easy task, either, as he’ll be lining up opposite Darrelle Revis when the two teams take the field in Arlington on Saturday.

We can only assume LeBron, a Cowboys fan, will be hoping Bryant doesn’t take the comparison lightly.

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