‘Overpowered’ LeBron James is still easier to guard than Kyrie Irving, says Austin Rivers

Former NBA player Austin Rivers explained why he believes Kyrie Irving is more challenging to guard than LeBron James.

‘Overpowered’ LeBron James is still easier to guard than Kyrie Irving, says Austin Rivers

Austin Rivers considers Kyrie Irving a tougher opponent over James

Former NBA player Austin Rivers, who has transitioned into a role as an analyst for ESPN, recently gave an interview to Overtime. During the session, one noteworthy moment stood out when “Subzero” paid his ultimate respect to Dallas Mavericks’ Kyrie Irving, stating that he is harder to guard than someone ranked higher than him, like LeBron James.

Further expanding on his case, Rivers listed all the distinct features of Irving and the countless weapons he has in his arsenal when attacking the rim. In contrast, LeBron James is more of a brute with a brain for basketball, capable of easily overpowering his defender. However, one can live with the King shooting contested fadeaway jumpers.

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He is the best player I’ve ever had to guard, I don’t know how to explain that because I know I’ve played against players who are technically ‘ranked’ higher than him…..like LeBron’s not quicker than me, so he would just overpower me with his strength down low in the post.

Austin Rivers said on Overtime

Doc Rivers‘ son then delved into Irving’s offensive prowess in more detail, listing his abilities like shooting off the dribble, shooting off the catch, finishing off the left, finishing from the right, executing hook shots, floaters, and fadeaways. Combined with his impressive ball-handling skills, this makes Kyrie Irving an even tougher opponent to contain on the court.

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However, the numbers tell a completely different story, with “The King” outperforming Irving in almost every metric against Austin Rivers, besides three-point shooting percentage. Even at the age of 40, James continues to be a nuisance for defenders in his 22nd year in the league.

Austin Rivers critical of the idea of Bronny James joining his dad, LeBron James

Prior to Bronny James being eligible to enter the NBA Draft, Austin Rivers expressed his discontent with the notion of Bronny sharing the court alongside his father. He suggested that James Jr. should prioritize finding his own pace and creating his own lane instead of relying on his father’s reputation. Here’s what the 32-year-old had to say about Bronny:

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I don’t want to see Bronny play with [LeBron]… Him getting drafted & playing with his dad, I don’t want that negativity to come his way. He doesn’t deserve it… [He needs to] play somewhere where he can niche out his own identity.

Austin Rivers remarked

This was somewhat ironic, considering how Rivers himself has faced allegations of being a “nepo baby” due to being the son of Milwaukee Bucks head coach, Doc Rivers. Since his remarks, James Jr. has been picked as the 55th draft pick by the Los Angeles Lakers and has been relegated to the G-League to refine and polish his tools.

Austin Rivers has also been over-judgmental about James Jr’ $7 million NIL (name, image, likeness) deal, claiming that it was largely a byproduct of being LeBron James’ son. This triggered fans to highlight how Austin Rivers got the biggest contract of his 11-year NBA career while playing for the Clippers under his father’s mentorship. Fans also suggested that he landed his current job as an NBA analyst largely due to being the son of a renowned NBA personality.