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USA Today via Reuters

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USA Today via Reuters

The NBA Draft 2022 helped bring in new talent to the league. Many hopeful young stars were drafted by the teams to showcase their quality on the biggest stage in basketball. While many of them will be hoping to make a name for themselves in the years to come, there is one particular draftee who feels nobody is better than him, not even LeBron James.

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Former Arizona Wildcats star, Bennedict Mathurin revealed what he feels about the ‘King’. Having been selected as the sixth overall pick in the draft by the Indiana Pacers, he certainly made waves among his peers with his comments. While it is commendable to have confidence in yourself at this young age, he’ll have to back it up now in the league.

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The shooting guard can prove to be a good pickup by a Pacers team looking for scorers. He played two years in college before declaring for the draft this season. While players at his age look up to LeBron James, he doesn’t seem to fear the future Hall of Famer.

The rookie wants to test LeBron James

Mathurin averaged 14.8 points and 5.3 rebounds in his two years as an Arizona Wildcat. His stats were much better in his sophomore year as compared to his rookie season. He is a decent shooter of the ball, but perhaps the best part about him is his explosiveness. Early NBA comparisons were made for him with stars such as Zach Lavine and Jaylen Brown.

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While he can score in a variety of ways, his defense is what will likely determine his ceiling as an NBA player. One of the anticipated matchups for the rookie in the upcoming season will be against the Los Angeles Lakers. Mathurin called out LeBron James after being selected by the Indiana Pacers.

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USA Today via Reuters

He said, “A lot of people think he’s great. I want to see how great he is. I don’t think anybody is better than me. He’s going to have to show me he’s better than me.”

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Making comments like this at the King’s peril requires a lot of confidence. Only time will tell whether the rookie can translate his big talk on the court.

What do you think about Mathurin’s comments? Let us know in the comments.

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Pragya Vashisth

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Pragya Vashisth is the Lead Editor of She Got Game, EssentiallySports’ dedicated WNBA newsletter. With a Master’s degree in Sports Management and experience as a divisional basketball player, he brings both technical expertise and long-standing knowledge of the game to his editorial work. Since joining EssentiallySports in 2022, Pragya has worked across multiple roles, from writer to editor, before taking charge of She Got Game. In this role, he curates coverage of women’s basketball, spotlighting WNBA icons, rising stars, and the defining shifts shaping the league today. Earlier in his career at ES, Pragya was at the center of major coverage for the NBA Legends desk, from the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame ceremonies to analysis of icons like Shaquille O’Neal and Charles Barkley, helping establish the division’s identity and depth. His wider sports management background, which includes event operations, accreditation, and spectator engagement, gives him an insider’s view of how professional sports function off the court. With over 15 years of closely following the NBA, Pragya connects basketball’s culture and history with the human stories behind the game, ensuring She Got Game delivers coverage that is fresh, reliable, and meaningful for fans.

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