LeBron’s big praise for Josh Giddey… and warning to rest of the NBA about rising Thunder
LeBron James has as soon as once more heaped reward on Australian rising star Josh Giddey — and Oklahoma City’s promising younger core — whereas talking forward of Monday’s All-Star Game.
James, who earlier this month broke the NBA’s all-time factors scoring file whereas taking part in towards Giddey’s Thunder, was requested what he manufactured from the Australian’s recreation.
The Lakers celebrity was glowing in his evaluation of Giddey when requested an analogous query at All-Star weekend final 12 months and he was simply as complimentary this time round.
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“Josh Giddey’s really, really good, man,” James mentioned.
“Obviously, a tall point guard. He’s a triple-double type of playmaker every single night because of his ability to rebound at his size, his instinctive passing, and he has the ability to score in the paint.
“I think he’s going to continue to get better and better.”
James echoed related sentiments about Oklahoma City as a crew, warning the remainder of the league hasn’t even seen what the Thunder is like with Chet Holmgren — the No.2 choose from final 12 months’s draft — on the ground.
Holmgren, for reference, was dominated out for all the 2022-23 season after present process surgical procedure on a foot damage he picked up in a recreation at Jamal Crawford’s CrawsOver Pro-Am League.
“They have a really good young core over in OKC, and they don’t even have Chet (Holmgren) there just yet,” James mentioned.
“But Josh is a really good player along with other rookies that they have this year, and obviously, we know first-time (All-Star) Shai (Gilgeous-Alexander) is really good, and the rest of that crew over there. (Giddey) is a pretty good player for sure. You guys should be proud.”
As talked about earlier, it’s not the primary time James has spoken glowingly of Giddey, describing the Australian’s basketball as “beautiful” whereas talking at All-Star weekend final 12 months.
“It’s pretty special anytime you can have someone of that caliber to — even mention your name — but let alone to be giving you praise,” mentioned Giddey on the time in response.
“He’s obviously somebody I’ve looked up to all my life, so to hear that was pretty cool.”
Even extra cool although was the possibility to share the courtroom with James when he broke the file earlier this month.
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“Not many people thought this record would ever be broken. To be a part of history with one of the all-time greats is a special moment,” Giddey mentioned, admitting he was “secretly hoping” James did it in the course of the Thunder recreation.
“Just so I could be here and witness it, just as everyone else did,” the 20-year-old added.
“As a player, you also are a fan, and the things [LeBron] has done for the game over the last 20-or-so years, he’s inspired and has been a mentor to kids all around the world.
“He was to me. He was my favourite player growing up. To be on the floor and share history like we did tonight was special and it’s a record that never again in our lifetime will it be broken.”
