 Here are 6 current NBA stars or soon to be stars compared to their predecessors, NBA Legends. You will see some examples of players in this video where the player is not nearly as good as his counterpart, but it's based off what I see when I watch that player. This video is based off playstyles, more so than actual talent. For example, Kawai landed in terms of talent is not on the level of Michael Jordan, but his playstyle is awfully similar. They are definitely comparable. That is how I'm basing this video. There will be some takes in here that I'm sure you will disagree with and that is completely fine. The NBA and the basketball world in the end is really just one big discourse of people agreeing with a statement, disagreeing with a statement and then validating their point. So if you do have a different opinion, let me know in the comment section down below and let me know why. But if you ever watched the NBA and you have a moment where you watch a current NBA player and it just reminds you of a moment or a certain player, a past player, even if they're not nearly as good as their counterpart, that is what this video is. Don't get it confused. With that said, if you enjoy these types of videos, it takes me a while to edit them and piece all these clips together so I'd greatly appreciate if you guys could drop a like to show your support, let's aim for 2,000 likes. And if you're new around here and you enjoy NBA content every single week, be sure to hit that subscribe button. I know that there are a ton of you watching that are not subscribed, it takes one second and you get NBA content like this every single week. With that said, let's get on to the video. Number one, Kawhi Leonard and Michael Jordan. And what we really love, Doc, is that he plays both ends of the court and he makes the always the right read on. He is the most like Jordan that we've seen. Big hands, post game, can finish, great leaper, great defender, in-between game. If you beat him to the spot, bumps you off and then you add his three point shoot. Before I get into this, my latest video on the channel was a full breakdown on the Jordan and Kawhi Leonard comparison at age 28. So if you were looking to watch a more in-depth video with a whole breakdown, be sure to check out that video. But basically, if I could compare anybody to Kawhi Leonard, there would actually be three players, Scotty Pippin, Kobe Bryant and Michael Jordan. The reasons why Kawhi Leonard to me is the closest to Jordan is because over the years Kawhi has improved on his offensive game that has translated and elevated his overall game to be better than Pippin ever was offensively. Defensively though, they are most alike in terms of their body and stature and of course defensive ability. Kawhi is probably the most similar to Pippin, but the moves that he has on the offensive end definitely reminds me more of Kobe Bryant and of course Michael Jordan. But obviously we all know that Kobe replicated Mike. Just like in the Kawhi and Pippin argument, the Kawhi and Kobe argument can be made but for the defensive end. Kawhi is already a two time defender player of the year winner and whilst Kobe was a great player defensively as Kobe Bryant was selected 12 times for an all NBA defensive team, I think we can all agree that his forte was definitely on the offensive end and Kawhi is an elite defender. That to me is a step ahead of what Kobe Bryant was. That's why when you really break it down, Kawhi really just reminds me more of Jordan. He's got those big hands which helps him defensively but he's also improved on his offensive game to where he can be compared to Jordan which wasn't always the case when he first entered the league. But no, Kawhi isn't the version of Jordan that transcended the game. If I could compare Kawhi Leonard to any version of Jordan, I'd say that Kawhi is more of a version that we saw similar to the number 45 Michael Jordan who returned in the 1994-1995 NBA season where he was still MJ who was still amazing and could light teams up for 30 points, 40 points and even 50 points. But he wasn't the Jordan that was feared by all. He also lost in the playoffs that season to Shaq and the Orlando Magic which showed that he could be defeated. And that's how I look at Kawhi Leonard. A guy that is obviously extremely talented, one of the best defensive plays in the league and a guy that can drop 30 on you any night but also can be defeated. And in terms of play style, Kawhi's resemblance to Jordan is just uncanny. Number two, Lou Williams and Alan Iverson. First guy you hugged was Lou Williams. Are you wearing a Lou shirt? Yeah, I mean that's my little man. He came in as an 18-year-old rookie and you took him under your wing. That's right and he's come a long way. He's come a long way. He's a household name now and Lou can play. He can play with the best of them. This right here is a clear example of how I'm talking about how a player's playstyle can be comparable to another legend rather than how great they are. Because obviously without a question, Alan Iverson is a far greater player than Sweet Lou. Iverson was a far greater scorer and could lead his team to the NBA finals off his own back. Lou Williams wouldn't be able to do that. But Lou Williams is a star in his own role. He's owned and dominated the Sixth Man of the Year award. He has accepted his role and established himself as one of the best role players in NBA history, especially after winning his third Sixth Man of the Year award and Alan Iverson could never do that. So whilst Lou Williams can do what Alan Iverson couldn't and Alan Iverson could do what Lou will couldn't, it just shows how they're different. But in terms of their playstyle and their moves, it's clear. They are very similar. They're both able to get to their spot on the floor using elite handles and can make it from anywhere. Lou Williams' frame is six foot one, which is similar to Alan Iverson's height of six foot. It really all makes sense. When he started his career with the 76ers back in 2005, Lou Williams was honored to play alongside his longtime idol, Alan Iverson. He replicated AI growing up, copied his moves, learned his tricks, and then he got mentored by him. Lou Williams, who was hosted on an interview done for the Slayer magazine, said that his game was very similar to Iverson's style because of their ability to score the ball easily. Hey, I taught me how to take contact and finish plays and just learn how to throw your body around and get at once. That's knowing how to play. Heard the whistle and immediately got the ball up. Great recognition. He led by example just by watching him and watched the way that he attacked in games and watched the way that he approached every game. Unfortunately, they're timed together with the 76ers didn't last too long after Iverson got traded. But Lou Williams did say and I quote, AI is like a big brother to me. And even before that, he was an idol of mine. I had never met him previously, but I patterned my game after him. My tattoos were influenced by him. Just what he represented to the game and who he was. Then obviously I met him. I got mentored by him. And that's why today Lou Wills still possesses a little bit of AI in him each and every night. Number three, Zion Williamson and Larry Johnson. A junior college transfer with unlimited potential. One of the singular and greatest college basketball players that we've ever had, which is incredible explosion. He seemed like a man among boys. He was so big and so strong and yet he had such great touch. Just like the Kuai Leonard and Jordan comparison, I've also made a full breakdown of the Zion and LJ comparison on this channel a little bit after Zion Williamson got drafted in the league. It breaks it down all very in depth. But the NBA quite simply has never seen anything like Zion Williamson. He's a unicorn in the true form of the definition. A six foot seven, two hundred and eighty five pound closer to three hundred pound player, ultra athletic forward, it is just unheard of. When one tries to compare him to another player, it's hard to see who he's similar to most. I mean, Charles Barkley gets mentioned, Larry Johnson gets mentioned, Sean Kemp, but I would give a comparison to Larry Johnson before the back injuries derailed his athleticism. Because before he had those injuries, LJ could jump out the gym in the same way that Zion Williamson can today. And that is not a lie. In terms of their size, Zion could be compared to Charles Barkley, who first entered the league a little overweight. But still, he was only six foot six six, whereas LJ is quite muscly and buff and he was six six six seven, which is closer to Zion. You would assume that after this season, when Zion Williamson has a full preseason to get healthy and he's able to lose some weight, that the comparison will seem even more real. Larry Johnson was built like Zion and he had unbelievable athleticism for his size. But most importantly, they have very similar playing styles and LJ was an all NBA player at just 23 years old. But he also flamed out within 10 years. LJ coasted off his athleticism early in his career and averaged 20 points, nine rebounds and four assists through his first five seasons. Unfortunately, injuries led to a declining athleticism, which reduced him to a role player status. With Zion Williamson, he has the size and more potential to last longer in the league, but also injuries will definitely be a question for his longevity in the league throughout his entire career. The league has never seen a 285 player to be able to do the things that Zion Williamson can do on the court. But Larry Johnson comes closest, in my opinion. Zion will probably just exceed anything that LJ ever did throughout his career. Number four, Donovan Mitchell and Dwayne Wade. At the end of the game, we saw you with a moment with Donovan Mitchell. I mean, seeing the way that he plays, is it like looking in the mirror and seeing a piece of yourself from the past? Well, I mean, I wish I was that good, you know, that young. That kid has, he's special. Donovan Mitchell, who has led the Utah Jets in scoring in each of his first two campaigns and in both years has made the postseason in a very tough lesson conference. Just shows how great he is already. His stats throughout his first three seasons are comparable to Dwayne Wade. But once again, it's their play styles that are awfully similar. Whilst it's hard to believe that Donovan Mitchell can lead his team to an NBA championship within his first three seasons, like Dwayne Wade did, Mitchell is still young and keeps improving each and every year. And hopefully one day he can make the NBA finals and lead the Utah Jets to that point in the season. In terms of their playstyle, though, due to their similar height at 6'3 and 6'4 and their positions at shooting guard with point guard tendencies and their weight of 215 pounds and 220 pounds, respectively, these physical similarities have led to a similar playing style. I don't know, what must this be like? This feeling. This is shades of blue, Dwayne Wade. And that's who he looks like to me every time I watch him play. Both guys can attack the rim with purpose, but also with finesse. They can dunk over you or they can acrobatically finish around you. They have multiple ways of attacking their defender and they can score from anywhere on the floor. They move the same, play the same. And Donovan Mitchell has just replicated what Dwayne Wade did. He's a version of Wade in the 2020 NBA season. Not to mention, statistically, throughout their first three seasons, they are awfully comparable. Donovan Mitchell will only need to take a playoff leap and he's on the right path to rise up on the list of great shooting guards, even at his young age. Number five, Yannis Ardisacumpo and Shaquille O'Neal. But the Orlando Magic version, the rookie version. Yannis versus Shaquille. The Greek diesel. Y'all, you have my thoughts, he's better. He's better? Yeah, he's better. Only thing I was gonna showcase was my domination, but he's running the floor. I did that early. I stopped doing that because I stopped getting the ball when I ran the floor. So I turned into a half court dominant player. Plus all the Annie Ann's, the Papa John's, the Krispy Kreme's. And the Buss and the Kimbaple Tumbo's ass and the finals. Oh yeah. Sorry, yeah, that's all right. But yeah, he's better. And that's why I gave up my Superman title to him. But you know what, he works hard. He's a humble kid, he works hard. This comparison might seem very outlandish, because realistically, you can't compare anybody to Shaq, nor can you really compare anybody with Yannis. They have both changed the game and they have both unique specimens that have never been seen before. But this comparison looks at the domination of both players. We haven't seen somebody dominate the game in the pain since Shaq. And as great as Yannis can become, it's almost as if how Shaq could have turned out if he was drafted in the 2010s. Yannis is almost a modern day Shaq. And Shaq said that himself. When thinking about Shaq, though, we think of the most dominating beast that could back down anybody on the court. And don't get me wrong, he was a big man and a pure big man. But he would also run the floor and use his athleticism to his advantage in Orlando. So if I could compare Yannis to anybody, I would say a rookie Orlando magic Shaq in terms of pure domination. Shaquille O'Neal himself believes that Yannis is just an evolved version of himself that isn't just playing in today's NBA, but dominating it. He said, and I quote, before you say that Shaq can't play in this era today, I'm already playing. My name is Yannis Antutakumpo. And when looking at both players at age 24, their stats are very similar. Who averaged 27 points, 12 and a half rebounds and six assists? It was Yannis. Shaq averaged 26 points per game, 12 and a half rebounds and three assists. As much as Shaq has been known to dominate his opponents, Yannis is doing the same thing, just in a different way. A way that suits the modern game. He's averaging more points in the paint per game than any player since Shaquille O'Neal in his early 2000s heyday. In addition, even the size comparison isn't too dissimilar for the weight of Shaquille O'Neal and the body that he had. Shaquille O'Neal was seven foot one, but he weighed less than 300 pounds, 294 pounds to be exact. When he first entered the NBA. Of course Shaq is a lot heavier than Yannis, but Yannis is still pretty heavy at 242 pounds and he's six foot 11. Not to mention field goal percentage is awfully similar, but of course no, Shaq is not Yannis and Yannis isn't Shaq, but considering that the reality is that Yannis has and is the throwing opponents the way that Shaq did, and of course their pure dominance in the paint is definitely comparable. So a comparison to Shaquille O'Neal might actually be the best one for Arndt de Kumpo. Number six, LeBron James and Grant Hill. Grant Hill was the first LeBron James. He had a cross on these triple, he was double guy. Grown on the injuries. Audible grown from, I think, the injuries. Because Grant was terrific, but LeBron is 30 pounds heavier. I'm talking in terms of straight triple doubles, dominated the game, playing defense. The dude did everything. That's true. We ain't just seen it on a nightly basis. And nobody did that before that. This is another outlandish comparison. Not to me personally, obviously, since I'm the one making the comparison, but to many people when discussing LeBron James and who is really compared to. A lot of people throughout the name Magic Johnson. And that comparison to me personally is not really that close. Magic Johnson is a great player and so is LeBron James. But outside of the court vision between the two players and of course the height, I really don't think that their play styles are similar at all. LeBron James is a better shooter, a better scorer and a better rebounder. But to me personally, whilst Grant Hill had a short lived prime, he was the LeBron James before LeBron James. Many young fans with no type of knowledge and didn't get to watch Grant Hill before 2003 would probably hear that and say absolutely no way in hell can you compare Grant Hill to LeBron James. But honestly, LeBron James took what Grant Hill did in his prime and turned it up. To put it into perspective, Grant Hill was 68-225. LeBron is 69-250. Similar weight and a similar height. They can be compared. Now, who averaged 26 points, 6.6 rebounds and five assists in his fifth year in the league? Well, based on the assist numbers, I'm sure you guessed it right. Grant Hill. But LeBron James is not too dissimilar. He averaged 30 points, eight rebounds and seven assists by year five. LeBron James is clearly the better of the two and that's no question. But also he's a top two player of all time. So it's not really a competition anyway. But in terms of play styles, Grant Hill was somebody who could get a triple double on any night and dominate the game by playing defense, but he could also score and finish around the rim with ease. His best attribute though, was the same way that LeBron James is. He was able to feed his teammates before he looked to score himself. He was feeding his teammates with dazzling assist that would get his teammates great looks. The dude did everything. Nobody did that before Grant Hill. And if you think that Scotty Pippin did that, well, no. The dude did everything. That's true. We had to see it on a nightly basis. And nobody did that before that. Scotty Pippin? Those three, man. No, he wasn't. No. No, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no. Scotty Pippin was never the offensive player that Grant Hill or LeBron James was. Grant Hill set himself, where big guys handling the ball point forward impacting the game in a number of ways. I think, you know, when I see LeBron, I think he comes out and feels out again. That's what you did. Yeah, it just kind of, you just let the game play. You got to feel the game of how it was going, what was needed, who's hot, who's not. People really do forget that Grant Hill was touted as the next Michael Jordan. And it really wasn't even an outlandish comment. Grant Hill was that good. So we're kind of a big deal. It's unbelievable. People are going to start calling you the next Michael Jordan. The guy who won the dunk contest? Just wait, Grant. You're going to find no one will ever measure up to MJ on the court. Not us, not even LeBron. LaHoo? He's like six years old now, ends up losing like six NBA finals. But anyway. We will never know how good he could have been. But based on his play style and what we could see, he was in the form of LeBron James' S-Player. But without the muscles, of course, and LeBron James just took it to another level. With that said, if you enjoyed the video and you found it very interesting, please drop a like to show your support on the channel. It would be amazing if we could reach 2000 likes. I put a ton of effort into this video and I put a ton of time, piecing and matching all these clips up together. So I'd love your support, of course. If you're new around here and you enjoy NBA content every single week, be sure to hit that subscribe button and the notification button. It literally takes one second of your time and it would help my channel out a ton. With that said, it's been your boy Dismuth. I'm out, peace.