Paul George is hardly resting on his laurels while recovering from a broken leg. According to one of his teammates, the All-NBA wing has already added a new element to his game: strength. Roy Hibbert says that George’s arduous fitness routine has the 24 year-old “almost looking like LeBron [James].”
In a piece by Gary Washburn of the Boston Globe profiling the Indiana Pacers’ unfortunate spate of injuries, Hibbert claims that George’s hard work – in both rehabilitation and general training – at the team’s facility is really paying off:
“He’s been good. He’s been shooting, running in the pool, he’s coming along, and I’m very optimistic,” teammate Roy Hibbert said. “It’s great having him around. He’s working really hard. His upper body is a lot bigger. He’s almost looking like LeBron [James].”
Is a “250-ish” LeBron really that big, though? We kid. If George really has put on enough good weight to be considered close to James’ size, it’s just another physical advantage that the hyper-athletic, 6-9 wing will have on his opponents.
But why let Hibbert’s word speak for itself? This is the digital age, and George is an active social media user. Do you think he looks as big as the Pacers’ behemoth center says?
This was taken a week ago:
And here’s PG-13 getting his selfie flex on in mid-October:
Bigger? Sure. In LeBron’s weight class? Not quite.
Regardless, that George is putting in work while sidelined is just the latest indicator that he’ll eventually regain his superstar form. And while Frank Vogel still maintains that a potential return to the court late this season is unlikely, George is clearly on the road to full recovery.
Whenever he takes the floor again, it will be fascinating to watch George put his additional strength to use.
What do you think?
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