LeBron to Simmons: 'You have an opportunity to be better than me'

Runaway Rookie of the Year favorite Ben Simmons is being praised left and right by future Hall of Famers.

First, Dwyane Wade pointed out some obvious similarities between Simmons and LeBron James. For his part, James publicly downplayed the comparison, saying he wanted Simmons to stand on his own merits.

But James may be even more optimistic than Wade about Simmons and his immense potential.

"You have an opportunity to be better than me," James told Simmons before the latter made the NBA, according to Lee Jenkins of Sports Illustrated. "But you can't skip steps. You have to do the work."

It's nearly impossible for any player to live up to a James comparison, but Simmons has many of the same skills and physical attributes. He's a point guard in a power forward's body with the ability to manipulate a game. He is a walking triple-double. Simmons can get into the paint at will and either get a shot for himself or find his teammates when he collapses the defense.

Compared to James' rookie numbers, Simmons is averaging two fewer points, but more rebounds, assists, and steals, and he's shooting a higher percentage from the field (though James was two years younger than Simmons in his debut campaign).

The No. 1 pick from the 2016 draft is not yet perfect. Just like James, Simmons will have to build his jump shot, refine his post game, and hone his free throws. James capitalized on his generational talents by adding more elements to his game every season while taking meticulous care of his body. If Simmons does the same, there's no telling where he'll end up.