It's the comp you're always hesitant to make because it's sounds ridiculous, but I agree in terms of playstyle. LeBron at the same age was even bigger, and I think his basketball skills except for his defense were generally a tick or two above Amen's (passing, ballhandling, shooting). However, on pairing athleticism with size and feel for the game, Amen is one of the only guys I've ever seen come close to a young LeBron. He's also a better defender now than second-year LeBron was. I don't actually think Amen will ever come close to the 28, 7, and 7 LeBron averaged during his peak years, mainly in the scoring category. I see Amen topping out more around the low 20s on scoring volume. He will almost certainly not have anything like LeBron's longevity and ability to stay on the court. However, in his prime years, I can see his scoring efficiency being similar and his defense and rebounding being as good or better.
Oh of course I don't mean equally skilled, it may make more sense to say he's probably like a HS Lebron offensively speaking. I wonder if Amen happened to be drafted onto a team willing to immediately put 4 shooters around him, I could see him averaging 23-24 points per game at like 54 TS% probably. Sarr Kuzma Amen Brogdon Poole If they handed him the keys, I bet he could put up 25 semi-inefficient ppg and 6 assists. Keep in mind our young guys are extremely restricted in shots (except Jalen and Sengun) since Ime got here. Whitmore, Sheppard, Jabari, Tari and Amen would all be getting more shots on the Wizards of course.
I don't see the Pippen comp. Pippen was a better shooter but not close to Amen's speed and athleticism. Amen is already a better rebounder.
Pippen was actually very athletic in his 20s. But yeah, he wasn't like, top 3 in the league athleticism the way Amen is. That would be a certain teammate of his. Amen is pretty unique IMO. He has all-around athleticism and size somewhere in the vicinity of a young MJ or LeBron, but a current skillset more comparable to a young Iguodala or Jimmy Butler. I think he would have been picked top 2 in most draft classes.
Amen in my opinion is probably one of the top five or 10 athletes ever to play in the NBA. I can’t think of more than two or three honestly that top him and I am sure I’m missing a few players. and there is a lot of skill level along side of that. The footwork, the anticipation and pretty much everything on the defensive side are elite. And I really think the shots gonna come along.
His athleticism is a bit what Wiggins was supposed to be except Thompson has been far more functional using it.
There is no comparison for Thompson. He is a first….never been a player like him. Competitiveness and Mentality of Jordan and Kobe (but not their shot). Players will someday be compared to Amen. He is special.
That's part of the problem with these snippets that get floated around - they don't really give you context (or the whole truth) about what the guy talking was saying. If you listen to the entire podcast, he actually states that he doesn't know about offensively or if the shot will ever be there. He adds Scottie also had the advantage of going to Michael Jordan Basketball Camp every day. He props Pippen for his playmaking and passing and a bit of a post-up game, and says he doesn't know if Amen has all that yet. He says that he was referring more to the defense/athleticism stuff in the comparison to Pippen.
I believe the term you are looking for is “off ball LeBron”. It’s like when LeBron first went to the Heat and had to share the on ball attack with Wade and Bosh and that’s when we saw more of LeBron asserting himself as a scorer without the ball in his hands - Wade taught him how to cut off ball, he learned the art of creating space for both him and his teammates by his positioning on the court, etc. …you could also look at it like if LeBron had a twin to share the ball with his whole life so the ball wasn’t always in his hands. All and all - I agree, it’s the Lebron toolkit in a different context. Athleticism and processing speed in one amazing package.
What's more crazy about this is a lot of the best perimeter athletes of all time are lousy defenders, not fully using their athleticism: Rose Westbrook Dominique Gerald Green Vince Carter T-Mac Kobe Amen is the most functional athlete of all these guys, using that athleticism on both sides of the court. I credit Udoka for that. When he arrived he'd play as though he's 6'4. He plays much bigger and more aggressive now.
The stated reason was "calf tightness" but the real reasons were probably (1) rest after averaging 39 mins over the last 6 games, (2) the fact Tari was back and (3) the opponent was the sorry Blazers. I think if Tari weren't available, Amen probably would have played last night.
