LeBron James compares Jack Taylor's 138-point game to Kobe, Wilt

LeBron James knows his basketball history.

So when listing all-time great performances, James respectfully put Kobe Bryant's 81-point game first.

But there are two performances James still wants to see, with the first being Wilt Chamberlain's 100-point game for the Philadelphia Warriors against the New York Knicks in 1962.

The second individual performance James wants to see is a little more surprising.

Try a 5-10 kid who plays Division III basketball in Iowa.

Jack Taylor, a Grinnell College sophomore, was the talk of the NBA on Tuesday night and throughout the day Wednesday. Taylor scored 138 points to set an NCAA record in a 179-104 win Tuesday against Faith Baptist Bible College. He shot 52-for-108 from the field and 27-for-71 on three-pointers.

And three-time MVP James wasn't shy in commending Taylor by putting him in the same category as Bryant and Chamberlain.

"It's unbelievable, honestly, " James said via ESPN.com. "I would like to see the game. I want to see the game."

"I watched Kobe's game when he had 81. I watched some of the greatest games ever played when guys scored big numbers. There's two games that I would love to see: One was Wilt, when he had 100, and this kid. I want to see him, too. Sir Jack."

The Heat reportedly called their intern "Taylor" when he was shooting during a defensive drill during morning practice.

It wasn't just James. Some of best basketball players took notice in a mix of disbelief and envy.

Bryant heard about the big game after his Los Angeles Lakers' win late Tuesday. Needless to say, he was impressed.

"That's crazy. I don't care what level you're at, you score 138 points, it's pretty insane," Bryant said.

"He must have been wearing the Mambas, man," he said, referring to the shoes named after his "Black Mamba" nickname. "Only Mambas have no conscience to shoot the ball that much."

Bryant's 81 points in a 2006 game are second to Chamberlain's 100 in NBA history. What does it take to score like that?

"You gotta be in shape," Bryant said. "And you gotta have a little Mamba blood in you."

Current Knicks star Carmelo Anthony sees a future excuse. Criticized occasionally for taking too many shots, the All-Star forward has a new retort, "that someone shot it 108 times."

Taylor became the talk of the NBA on Twitter, in particular. Even Faith Baptist's David Larson, who had 70 points in a loss, received some love.

Here are some highlights:

Contributing: David Leon Moore in Los Angeles and the Associated Press

Copyright 2013 USATODAY.com

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