When it comes to the NBA, there never is a shortage of arguments comparing all-time greats. LeBron James vs. Michael Jordan. Larry Bird vs. Magic Johnson. Kobe Bryant vs. Steph Curry.
In the midst of the 2024 NBA Playoffs, Stephen A. Smith is adding a new battle to the equation.
The ESPN analyst took a question from one of his followers on a recent episode of the "The Stephen A. Smith Show," which asked how LeBron James would fare in a one-on-one battle against ... Mewtwo.
For those unaware, Mewtwo is one of the most powerful — and most popular — characters from the Pokemon franchise. There is no real crossover into the basketball world, but in the media sphere in 2024, nothing is stopping analysts from debating completely hypothetical situations.
This is not the first time viewers have seen Smith dissect a cartoon scenario. In November 2023, he got into a heated argument with a caller over the movie "Cars" and its star Lightning McQueen.
What did Smith have to say about a contest between James and Mewtwo? Here is the answer.
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LeBron James vs. Mewtwo
Smith took a question from a follower on X, formerly Twitter, about a potential basketball game between LeBron and Mewtwo during the Q&A portion of his podcast.
He did not simply brush aside the silly question. Instead, he went over the scouting report on the Pokemon character and gave a somewhat in-depth analysis on how a game of 21 would play out between the two.
https://t.co/l8g9B8gtQs pic.twitter.com/GA1KDVjnpd
— Stephen A Smith (@stephenasmith) May 20, 2024
"So [Mewtwo has] got composure," Smith said. "Psychic, he can anticipate moves, stuff like that. Yeah, maybe he could pull it off. I mean, from the looks, he might scare LeBron. LeBron may want to shoot more jump shots, not come near him. That could be a problem. And that long tail, you never know, it might strip him.
"So yeah, I could see it. I'm not saying it's going to happen, but it's possible. It's possible."
This on-court showdown can only happen in one's imagination — since Metwo is, you know, a cartoon character. But one can dream how one of the Pokemon legends would fare against one of the greatest basketball players of all time.
LeBron James height, weight
James is listed at 6-foot-9, 250 pounds on the official NBA website.
Mewtwo height, weight
Mewtwo is listed at 6-foot-7, 269 pounds in the Pokemon database.
While some Pokemon are small creatures (see: Pikachu), that can't be applied to Mewtwo. The psychic Pokemon is almost the same build as James, measuring in two inches shorter and nearly 20 pounds heavier.
What are Mewtwo's powers?
Mewtwo is all about the mind games.
The Pokemon is best known for its psychic ability, according to its character profile. He is regarded as the "most powerful of all psychic Pokemon" and possess powers such as "telepathy, telekinesis, immense psi-powered speed, future foresight, psychic blasts, aura manipulation, and even manipulate the powers of other Pokémon."
In terms of basketball skills, Mewtwo may be lacking. But if the Pokemon can properly read James' moves and decisions ahead of time, a one-on-one battle would be no easy task for the Lakers star.