They were going to see each other for the first time in Las Vegas, in the summer of 2017 . Zion Williamson was already a phenomenon on the Internet and LeBron James , who had seen and read about him, wanted to see in the first person how that teenager who was crazy around the world played. He approached the city of the game, but when he reached the pavilion he had to return to the hotel when he saw the amount of people waiting to enter. He had had to go to the City Police, because the building's security officers were unable to bring order.

LeBron had to wait.

Almost three years after that, Zion Williamson has truly become the new LeBron James , with all that that implies. Not so much at the level of results, because he is only in his first season in the NBA, he has spent half of the injured course and will have to fight until the last days of the regular league to enter the Playoffs . It's the new LeBron James because no one, absolutely no one, had raised so much expectation without having debuted in the top basketball competition in the world.

After being elected as the number one of the last draft, Zion began signing contracts worth more than one hundred million dollars. " The last time there was this level of interest was with LeBron James, " explained a Panini executive a few months ago, a company that sponsors Williamson.

Tickets sold out, good television audiences, t-shirts everywhere ... And a wait for the injury of the young player who has had the NBA in suspense. Luckily, his debut came, his great first games and his 22.8 points and 7.2 rebounds in the first ten games.

And now, last night: the first LeBron vs Zion . No last names Only with the name. Like the real stars.

LeBron, knowing that it was an important night and that the spotlights were going to point towards his confrontation with his successor, went to 40 points and eight rebounds for the sixth consecutive Lakers victory. A 118-109 with 29 points and six rebounds of Zion, at the height of the circumstances.

"He's playing great and I think his game will get better , just with the experience," LeBron acknowledged over his rival, who assumed James's superiority: " He's an amazing player . He assumed the chevrons. He came here and did what he had to do to help your team win. "

Lonzo Ball, former LeBron teammate in the Lakers and current Pelicans base after the transfer that led Anthony Davis to the California franchise, sees things about LeBron in Zion. " LeBron maybe sees something of him in Zion . The way the two have reached the league with all the hype around them. But LeBron plays every night the same, no matter who the opponent is."

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