By Guillaume K. | Sports journalist
In addition to being the best scorer in the history of the league, LeBron James is also in the Top 5 best passers. A crazy feat for someone who only spent one season at the top in his career. But according to a former teammate, he is overrated in the field.
In high-level sport, it seems that versatility is the enemy of perfection, that a player capable of doing a bit of everything on the field cannot become a master in one field. If this postulate is true, then LeBron James is the exception that proves the rule. Because since the start of his career, he has shined at all levels.
The proof, thanks to his exceptional longevity and his playing intelligence, he broke Kareem Abdul-Jabbar’s points record when he seemed untouchable. Likewise, he is currently the 4th best passer in the history of the league without being a leader! The only year he was used as such, he earned the title of most prolific distributor of NBA.
LeBron James, a mediocre passer?
But for his former teammate Shane Battier, LeBron James’ passing quality would be greatly overrated. Indeed, during an intervention in Draymond Green’s podcast, the former Rockets revealed why No. 23 is not an ally for shooters.
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Tracy McGrady is the best passer I’ve played with in my career. People don’t give him enough credit for his passing skills. T-Mac never missed a pass. He always found you in the right tempo, in the right zone. LeBron was throwing balls at my ankles, and it was disrupting my shot. I told him that if he wanted triple-doubles, he had to aim for my chest.
According to Shane Battier, LeBron James would not be such a good passer because of his distribution zone. While the triggers want to be served in their “shooting pocket”, that is to say at chest level, the King sometimes threw the ball into the ankles of his partners. Battier therefore preferred the offerings of Tracy McGrady, who also knew how to be spectacular:
LeBron James is the best scorer in the history of the league, and one of the best passers. But according to Shane Battier, this last point should be taken with a grain of salt. Indeed, the King would not be the most gifted at this level.
