Superstar comparisons for the NBA's young guns

#3 Ben Simmons - LeBron James

Ben Simmons (L) and LeBron James (R)

Labeled by the King himself as the Young King, Simmons put the whole world on notice during his rookie season. His averages (rounded up) of 16 points, 8 rebounds and 8 assists are better than every single rookie right up until the 1979-80 campaign and the times of Magic Johnson and Larry Bird.

Simmons has a natural feel for the game that stands out on every single play. Unlike LeBron, though Simmons is already quite comfortable playing in a ball movement system - he made and received the most passes per game last season during the regular season.

Adding a true jumpshot would elevate Simmons' game up to a point when it would be legitimate to discuss about him as one of the best players in the league. Right now, the obvious flaw in his game has been exploited as fair game during the playoffs, underlining the need for him to readapt his game according to how the Celtics played him and make sure that doesn't happen repeatedly over time.