"You've got an issue if Bron really wanna guard you.... He's gonna know every coach's schemes" - Former NBA champion picks LeBron James over Kobe Bryant as the toughest player he ever faced
Iman Shumpert picked LeBron James to be one of the toughest players he ever played against in his career. Shumpert was known for his defensive prowess and played against some of the best players in the league.
However, Shumpert believes LeBron James' overall ability is what separates him from the others such as Kobe Bryant. Shumpert teamed up with James when he went to the Cleveland Cavaliers in 2015.
They won a championship together in 2016 and made two more trips to the NBA Finals. Before playing together, Shumpert often squared up against LeBron, as both were in the Eastern Conference.
He stated that James knew all the tricks in the game and was extremely tough to break down. Speaking about him in an interview with "Djvlad," Shumpert said:
"Once you get to the top of the top, you're really just picking in your opinion. You know what I'm saying? It's your opinion and what you like to see.
"As far as someone who can do everything, Like every statistic that you got, he can do. And if you really go back and look at it, you can say he can't shoot and do that and then you look at actual numbers. And your argument is not so supportive."
Having played with James for three years, Shumpert is well aware of what the four-time champion is capable of. Along with his offensive ability, Shumpert also heaped praise on LeBron James' defensive capabilities, saying:
"You've got an issue if Bron really wanna guard you. If you want to go all out for a possession, you got a real issue on your hands. He can literally do everything he can guard your center. He can guard your point guard. He can deal with one through five. He can play one through 5.
"He's gonna know where everybody is on the court. He's gonna know every coach's schemes. You know what I'm saying that all gotta account for something so pound for pound." added Shumpert, while talking about James' greatness."
LeBron James will be entering Year 20 next season. However, he is expected to continue playing at a high level. His bar has never been lowered since making it into the league.
Shumpert picking James as the toughest player to go against is completely subjective. However, he supported his comments with extremely reasonable arguments.
Is LeBron James one of the most well-rounded players in the NBA?
LeBron James has one of the most stacked resumes in basketball. He has worked extremely hard to stay on the top of his game even 19 years after making his NBA debut. James has his name etched out in every major stat, and this in itself shows how versatile his game is.
Although he is not considered one of the best scorers in the game, James is the second highest scorer in league history. He is expected to surpass Kareem Abdul-Jabbar next season and grab another record to his name.
His passing is also right among the very best. James has elite court vision and can make passes that defenses often can't pick. He is also a huge presence in the paint and is often seen tussling for rebounds. Aside from these aspects, he is also a terrific leader and can turn the course of the game in no time.
James is approaching the twilight years of his glorious career. His physical conditioning is one of the best for an athlete in his late 30s. Despite his age, he has been consistent over the past few years and will certainly retire as one of the greatest players in NBA history.