NBA Scout Says Amen Thompson Resembles a Young LeBron James Ahead of 2023 Draft

Overtime Elite star Amen Thompson drew high praise from one Eastern Conference executive ahead of the 2023 NBA draft.

The exec told The Athletic's David Aldridge that Thompson shares some characteristics with LeBron James from when the future Hall of Famer was entering the league.

"It sounds crazy, but (Amen's) got a little LeBron in him, back in the day," they said. "He's got the big-time body. Not quite as big, but, wow. Remember LeBron in high school; he couldn't shoot it, very athletic, he was very much a facilitator too. Both of them have a chance to be really good."

No matter the context, any comparison between James and an incoming rookie is bound to generate some skepticism. But LeBron was far from the finished article when he first made the jump from high school to the NBA.

In his first year, he shot 29 percent from beyond the arc and sub-40 percent from mid-range, per Basketball Reference. The vision and playmaking (5.9 assists per game) were there, but he relied far more on his physical gifts rather than his shooting to score.

Bleacher Report's Jonathan Wasserman cited shot creation and inside finishing among Thompson's strengths.

"He'll be less effective off the ball due to his shooting struggles; but on the ball, in transition and at the point of attack, he offers tremendous downhill scoring and playmaking potential," Wasserman also wrote in May when he ranked Thompson as the second-best primary ball-handler in the 2023 class.

That profile doesn't sound all that dissimilar from James, so you can at least understand the NBA executive's perspective.