Former Los Angeles Lakers center Dwight Howard is wasting no time ingratiating himself with his Philadelphia 76ers teammates by comparing guard Ben Simmons to LeBron James.
#Sixers center Dwight Howard: 'I've been saying for a couple years Ben Simmons is a young LeBron. I love the way he plays, how unselfish he is. … He has an opportunity to be one of the greatest to ever play the game.'
— Tom Moore (@TomMoorePhilly) November 25, 2020
The lofty praise by Howard is based on Simmons’ first three NBA seasons in which the 76ers guard has established himself as an all-around player on both sides of the ball.
Like James and Howard, Simmons was the top overall pick in his draft, though he was forced to miss his first year because of injury. Despite missing that 2016-17 season, Simmons has proven to be a wise investment for the Sixers.
Last month, Howard completed his second one-year tenure with the Lakers as a teammate of James and was rewarded by being a part of the franchise’s first title in a decade.
When free agency began, Howard was originally thought to be headed back to the Lakers, but ultimately headed to the 76ers, who will be playing under new head coach Doc Rivers.
Howard will turn 35 next month and will no doubt try to impart his wisdom to the 6-foot-10 Simmons, who has the size to play anywhere on the court. The Sixers have plenty of talent on their roster and Howard is hoping that he’s once again in a position to be part of a championship squad.
