The very first matchup of the 1-on-1 Summer Showdown is between the best basketball player on Earth, LeBron James, and a dynamic young defender in Michael Carter-Williams.
The rules
It is a half court game in which the scoring increments are 1 point for everything inside the arc, and 2 points for everything outside the arc. So long-distance bombers will do well in our tourney. The first player to 11 points wins. The possession switches every time the ball is scored, and your votes determine the winner.
The players
LeBron James
LeBron is the heavy favorite in this game. He is way out of Michael Carter-Williams' league in nearly every category. He can score from anywhere on the court and can out-speed and out-jump just about anyone on the hardwood.
His best advantage in this format is the fact that he is 6 foot 8 but can still handle the ball like a guard and back you down in the post. He is almost impossible to guard. In this matchup, his post-up ability will be deadly as he'll likely look to overpower Carter-Williams.
Michael Carter-Williams
The one thing that Carter-Williams has going for him in this matchup is his size. He has the ability to throw LeBron off by poking away a few dribbles. He also doesn't have to worry about stopping LeBron on every possession thanks to the losers rule.
If you are looking for a reason to vote for Carter-Williams, it is the fact that he can force LeBron into an uncomfortable position when handling the ball. He will have to be pest-like and constantly be disrupting dribble. The more jump shots he can force James to take, the better his chances.
But Carter-Williams doesn't just need to play the best defense of his life, he also has to score on LeBron.
LeBron is a world-class defender who fears no one. Even if Carter-Williams manages to force a lot of jump shots from James, he still has to try and score on one of the best perimeter defenders in the league.
Time to vote
This is where you decide the outcome. Vote on the poll below and make sure to let your opinion be known in the comments of this article.