Former No. 1 overall pick Kwame Brown recently shared his thoughts on LeBron James, stating that despite his remarkable career, James has failed to evolve his game as he approaches the age of 40.
Brown argued that most aging players develop new skills to stay effective on the court as their physical attributes begin to decline.
The former Washington Wizards center said that LeBron continues to rely heavily on his athleticism, which is uncommon for a player nearing 40 years old.
“He still has the athletic ability to just go 94 feet, which I don’t know how, but he still has it,” Brown said, via HoopsHype.
However, he noted that this reliance on athleticism poses a problem against certain teams.
“When he plays teams like Chicago or Boston, who have real solid principles, he has trouble,” Brown stated.
Brown emphasized that by now, James should have developed a more consistent mid-range or post game, but he believes that hasn’t happened.
“At 39, he should have developed a mid-range and a post game, and he still hasn’t yet,” Brown said.
James is often seen driving to the basket or taking outside shots, but Brown said that these tactics fall short of the shot-creating abilities seen from other star players.
Brown compared LeBron’s style to that of Paul Pierce, pointing out that Pierce, in his later years, focused on finding open spots and pulling up for efficient shots.
Brown also argued that older players in the NBA’s past would not have much difficulty handling LeBron’s current playing style.
“The old-school players wouldn’t have any trouble with LeBron because, at 39, he should have developed a mid-range and a post game, and he still hasn’t yet,” he said.
