LeBron James’ recent comments on Kyrie Irving continue to be the talk of the basketball community.
Not only did Bron say he wished he still played with the former Blue devil, but King James also crowned Kai as the ‘most gifted basketball player to play in the NBA.’
While it’s easy to understand why LeBron wants to play with Irving, some people doubt whether he really meant with his compliment.
During a recent episode of the Dan Patrick Show, the popular sportscaster asked his resident guest, Reggie Miller, if he thought LeBron meant what he said. The Pacers Hall of Famer answered in the positive.
“Yes, I mean he obviously played with him, he won a championship with him, he saw him on an everyday basis,” replied Miller.
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Kyrie is a smaller Kobe
According to Miller, what LeBron meant by gifted was the total package – ball handling, finishing, shooting, shot-creating, and shot-making. Reg says that Kyrie has all those, but what makes him unique is that he isn’t as big as LeBron but uses the same skills to dominate games.
When Patrick asked Miller if he thought Kai was more gifted than Steph Curry, Uncle Reg said he was on the same level as Curry regarding creativity and shot-making. However, Curry has the obvious edge in shooting. Miller went on to compare Kyrie to another all-time great.
“You know the comparison a lot of people are saying is that he is a smaller version of Kobe Bryant. I think a lot of people like to make that comparison in terms of ball handling, being able to create your own shot, being able to finish in difficult environments in the paint. Kobe, Kyrie, and even MJ a little bit though MJ wasn’t handling like Kyrie,” added Miller.
Bryant was the best all-around player for Phil
Kobe is widely regarded as the most skilled basketball player ever, even if Michael Jordan is still the greatest of all time. As the legendary Bulls and Lakers head coach Phil Jackson once said, Bryant was the best all-around player he’s ever coached.
“I never asked Michael to be a playmaker,” Jackson said. “That’s the greatest player that I’ve ever had, that I could consider the greatest player in the game, and I never asked him to be a playmaker in those terms. I asked him to be a playmaker when he was doubled or tripled. But Kobe has to set up the offense, to advance the ball, to read the defense, to make other players happy, and he’s doing a great job of that.”
Miller comparing Kyrie to Kobe is a huge compliment for the Dallas Mavericks guard. It’s a testament to how Irving has grown throughout the years. In his younger years, he was considered a selfish point guard who only wanted to score. But as we’ve seen this season in Dallas, the one-time champion is a playmaker who knows how to pick his spots. In between, he has one of the deepest bags and best handles ever, making him truly gifted.
