If you haven’t heard the name of Nate Pierre-Louis in the past, then perhaps now would be the time to take notice. The 24-year-old is currently playing his trade with the NBA G League’s South Bay Lakers, but it’s quite possible that he’s about to take the NBA by storm — at least in his own mind.
Pierre-Louis recently came out with an extremely bold statement that should pique the curiosity of Lakers fans everywhere. According to the 6-foot-4 guard himself, he firmly believes that he is the best there is when it comes to defending at the highest level (h/t G League TV on Instagram):
“I’m the best defender in the world,” he said. “… I want to prove that in the NBA.”
Talk about extreme confidence, right? This dude hasn’t even played a single minute in the NBA nor has he tested his defense against the top players in the world. However, he has no doubt in his mind that he is the best defender on the entire planet.
To be fair, Nate Pierre-Louis had a very impressive rookie campaign with the South Bay Lakers last term. He averaged 9.2 points, 4.4 rebounds, 2.9 assists, and 1.8 steals in his first season in the G League. This earned him a spot in the Lakers’ Summer League squad, where the former Temple University standout also made some waves with his defense.
Whether or not Pierre-Louis’ extremely bold claim earns him a call-up to the big league this coming season, however, remains to be seen.