LeBron James made history during the 2015 NBA Finals. The King put up absolutely historic numbers of 35.8 points, 13.3 rebounds, and 8.8 assists in his short-handed squad’s six-game loss to the Golden State Warriors. Just one problem: He shot an abysmal 39.8 percent from the field en route to stuffing the stat sheet like no one the game had ever seen before.
Golden State’s plan to defend the Cleveland Cavaliers superstar was far more complicated than letting him rack up statistics at the expense of efficiency. Andre Iguodala did yeoman’s work checking James on the ball as his teammates offered masterfully-timed and perfectly-positioned help behind him. The Warriors didn’t quite double-team James, but turned him into a jump-shooter nonetheless by committing extra and unique back-line attention his way.
Youth defenses, though, aren’t quite as sophisticated as NBA ones – which is unfortunate for opponents of the four-time MVP’s oldest son.
The last time we checked in with LeBron James, Jr., he was dropping dimes and getting buckets just like his father. Less than two months later at Battle of the Magic City, the precocious 11-year-old drew an even more aggressive brand of defensive coverage than his namesake did last June.
https://i.giphy.com/Vzpd4Tbl8XZEk.gif
Reminder: This kid still isn’t a teenager. Just imagine when his body catches up to his skill set!
And considering he’s the son of perhaps the best athlete to ever play in the NBA, it seems only a matter of time until little LeBron wreaks a more blend of havoc with rim-rattling dunks and high-flying finishes. Scary.
