Mark Selby believes Jack Lisowski is a world champion in the making and often plays on the same level as Ronnie O'Sullivan.
Lisowski is yet to win a ranking tournament in his career but Selby believes he has what it takes to be victorious at the Crucible this year.
No player has won more World Snooker Championships than O'Sullivan, with the 48-year-old's seven titles level with Stephen Hendry's tally.
He will head to Sheffield next month in an attempt to win a record-breaking eighth title after already winning five tournaments this season.
Ronnie O'Sullivan has been warned that Jack Lisowski could be a threat
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But four-time champion Selby believes that Lisowski could be a dark horse for the event.
Lisowski has finished runner-up in six ranking tournaments in his career and hasn't got past the quarter-final of a World Championship.
He has lost all four of his career meetings with O'Sullivan, winning just five frames in those matches.
Selby believes the 32-year-old has, on his day, the talent that can match O'Sullivan.
But he thinks Lisowski 'doesn't realise how good he is' and says his potential is 'scary' if he gains more self-belief.
Selby told WST: "I love Jack to bits, but I speak on behalf of all the players that he is so frustrating.
"He is so good and it is only a matter of time before he wins a tournament, but you watch him and it is as if he doesn’t want it enough at times.
"He is such a nice guy, it is as if he doesn’t have that firepower in his belly and he just enjoys being out there. For me he is a World Champion in the making.
"Sometimes his standard is up there with Ronnie, it is unplayable. He is probably one of my favourite players to watch.
"I think once he wins one then the floodgates will open. At the moment I don’t think he realises how good he is.
"Deep down, when you speak to him or hear him in interviews it is as if he doesn’t believe he should be there with the top guys. He is a top player.
"He played great at the Crucible in 2022, beat Neil Robertson and only just lost to John Higgins to miss out on the semi-finals.
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Jack Lisowski has been tipped to win a World Snooker Championship
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"Who knows, if he won that then he could have been World Champion already.
"All the other players have more belief in him than he has in himself. That is scary because he is so talented."
O'Sullivan will next be in action at the World Open in China next week, where he faces Michael White in the first round.
Lisowski will not be at the tournament after losing to Lukas Kleckers in his qualifier in January.
Ronnie O'Sullivan is aiming to add to his five tournaments wins this season
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O'Sullivan won his fifth tournament of the season when he triumphed at the inaugural Riyadh Season World Masters of Snooker last Wednesday.
He has won the first two Triple Crown events of the campaign, including a record-extending eighth Masters.
O'Sullivan will aim to win all three snooker majors in the same season for the first time in his career at the World Championship.
