The one standout quality that every great player possesses is the clutch gene. Being tasked with taking the game’s final shot is a privilege that only the finest earn. JuJu Watkins is hoping to become one of those players. However, when she was asked to pick a superstar to take the final shot, the USC guard chose LeBron James over everyone else.
Advertisement
In an interview with CBS Sports, Ashley Nicole Moss played a fun game with the Watkins where she asked her to pick the player she’d task with attempting the game-winner. The interviewer said,
“I’m going to give you a scenario and I’m going to give you players, you’ve gotta pick which one. Three seconds left to the game, you’re down by one. Only one player can take the final shot.”
Moss first asked the USC sensation to pick between LeBron James and James Harden. The 19-year-old quickly answered she’d let the Lakers superstar take the shot. The reporter then asked her to pick between the four-time MVP and Kawhi Leonard. Once again, Watkins chose James.
Moss then gave her the option to pick Kevin Durant or Steph Curry, but Watkins didn’t budge and stuck with the four-time MVP as her choice. However, the interviewer upped the ante on the final choice.
Moss asked the guard who she would pick between James and Kobe Bryant to take the final shot. Watkins was torn and pondered about the question for a while. After much deliberation, she answered she’d let the four-time Finals MVP take the game-winner. While some may believe that Watkins made an emotional decision, the stats support her claim.
Kobe Bryant vs LeBron James in clutch situations
One of Bryant’s most alluring traits was his ability to hit big shots late in the game. The Lakers icon was almost always tasked with taking the final shot and for good reason. He hit eight buzzer-beating game-winners in his career, which ranks second all-time, only one fewer than Michael Jordan. However, James is right alongside the five-time NBA champion on the list with eight.
Despite not being thought of as a clutch player, he’s statistically among the most potent and reliable stars to have if the game is on the line. In situations where there’s a minute left on the clock in the fourth quarter or overtime and there’s an opportunity either to tie a game or take a lead, James has banked 56 of his 124 shot attempts, a 45.2% conversion rate.
In similar situations, Bryant converted 30 of his 96 field goal attempts, shooting 31.3%. Leonard is at 33.3%, Durant at 27.1%, and Curry at 25.4%. Watkins may or may not know the numbers, but she chose the most statistically proficient option.
