3 ways Anthony Davis compares to young LeBron James

3. Little help

Remember LeBron’s supporting cast during his first run with the Cavaliers? Delonte West, um, Wally Szczerbiak? Didn’t Shaquille O’Neal make a cameo appearance at one point? It’s completely acceptable for even the most ardent fans to struggle naming players on the Cavs’ old roster.

As he navigated his quarter-life crisis, James was plagued with a pathetic supporting cast. Sans DeMarcus Cousins, so is Davis.

Let’s compare LeBon’s supporting cast during his sixth year in the league to Davis. The five best payers on the 2008-09 Cavaliers team not named LeBron — I don’t think you want to be reminded of who they were — had a combined win shares per 48 minutes of .725, according to Basketball Refernce. Including Cousins, Davis’ top-five teammates combined wins share per 48 minutes is .047.

Yikes! Who would have thought someone could have it worse than young LeBron?

It’s reflected in the Pelicans’ makeup. Davis is no longer looked at as just a defensive stopper and a versatile, post scorer. He’s often burdened with the responsibility of creating for teammates using ever improving ball-handling skills.

Here’s a perfect example from a recent game against Portland. Davis dribbles the length of the floor, creating an easy transition layup for a teammate. Almost looks like young LeBron galloping from end to end.