It is a nightmare of a task to guard LeBron James. And to ask a rookie to guard The King when veterans don’t even want that assignment is downright wrong. But that is what Davon Reed was asked to do by the Phoenix Suns coaching staff during his rookie season after being drafted 32nd overall in the 2017 NBA draft.
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Reed played for the Suns’ G-League team, the Northern Arizona Suns, before making it to the NBA. And as talented as the G-League is, it still didn’t house anything near to the level of talent the league possessed.
“My rookie year, I’m not playing at all. This is the first time I’m getting thrown in real NBA minutes. This is what I want to talk about. ‘Go check Bron.’ They off the rip.”
Reed might’ve been in the G-League, but he wasn’t the top player yet. He was rising through the ranks but was nowhere ready to slow down The King. In his first-ever NBA game, Reed was asked to guard LeBron, and he was unfortunately not up to the task.
“When I say that I’m from the G-League, I’m coming up. I’m not getting in the game like even when I’m up. I’m not really getting in the game. I’m in the fire, they say, ‘Go check Bron.’ (He) take me to the post or scored on me every single time.”
LeBron took Davon to the post or beat him by the dribble every single time. Not only did Bron score but also managed to get and-one opportunity on each possession.
“Foul, score, something like that. I’m like five times in a row, I get subbed out. I’m like, ‘Oh my goodness.’”
Reed was brought out of the game, but that didn’t end there. Just because he failed to guard LBJ, Davon was only given 4 minutes to play in his very next game.
How Reed got his revenge on LeBron
Davon’s dreams of making it into the league did come true. But the Peurto Rican did not expect to be handed the assignment to guard the four-time NBA champion and a true candidate in the GOAT debate.
However, Reed did not back down and kept his head up. And eventually, the 6’6 guard got his revenge on Bron four years later. The Los Angeles Lakers were facing the Denver Nuggets in a regular season matchup. As per DenverPost, Reed absolutely clamped up LBJ in the very first quarter.
“I had been waiting for that moment for a while. LeBron killed me my rookie year. I had to get my revenge.”
And he sure did, especially after getting his rookie season almost shut down.
