ESPN analyst Stephen A. Smith had some high praise for Philadelphia 76ers star Ben Simmons, recently labeling him the second coming of LeBron James. That is, of course, under the presumption that Simmons is able to develop his mid-range game.

Smith made his argument on ESPN's SportsCenter on Friday:

“It's very simple,” Smith started. “If Ben Simmons ever develops any kind of jumpshot whatsoever, he is LeBron James 2.0. Or part two — whatever way you want to put it. He's the second coming. He is that lethal.”

LeBron is easily one of the greatest players of all time, and his dominance this season is a testament to the same. As such, there is no denying that Smith has provided Simmons here with the highest form of flattery.

Smith went on to explain why he believes this to be true:

“If you look at his all-around skillset, along with his sixe being 6′ 9″, 6′ 10″ with his ball-handling and his passing ability and basketball IQ and defensive prowess,” he added. “If Ben Simmons develops a jumpshot, he will be the second coming of LeBron James. If he does not, he'll be Ben Simmons.”

One of the biggest criticisms in Simmons' game is his lack of shooting. While he has improved on the same this season, he has still left a lot to be desired. However, as Smith explained above, if Simmons is able to elevate his play in this particular regard, then he too can be scary good.

Simmons will have a fresh start in Philadelphia starting this offseason, with the team opting to bring in Doc Rivers as the team's new head coach. Rivers is a great coach, and he might just be the key to unlocking Simmons' full potential.