Los Angeles Clippers' newest superstar Kawhi Leonard has been voted as the best player in the NBA right now by some experts from ESPN.
Leonard got 12 of the 20 votes from the ESPN personnel, while Milwaukee Bucks' Giannis Antetokounmpo got six and Houston Rockets' James Harden received two.
Last season, Leonard led the Toronto Raptors to their first championship in franchise history. They defeated the Golden State Warriors in six games, and he was hailed as the Finals MVP. He averaged 26.6 points, 7.3 rebounds, and 3.3 assists in 60 games for the Raptors following an offseason trade from the San Antonio Spurs.
After just one season, Leonard decided to leave the Raptors to join the Clippers, which are now the heavy favorites to win the title next season.
It is worth noting that a familiar name was not even considered by the participants of ESPN's survey: Four-time MVP LeBron James, who has been a staple in best player polls over the past decade, didn't get any votes. The three-time champion joined the Los Angeles Lakers last summer but failed to lead them to the playoffs.
Another name that was not mentioned is two-time Finals MVP Kevin Durant, who would've made a huge difference in the Finals if it wasn't for his injuries. He missed the first four games of the series as he recovered from the calf strain he suffered in the second round, but when he returned in Game 5, things got worse as he tore his Achilles. He's expected to miss the entirety of next season.
Still, despite some names not making the list, it's hard to argue with the player chosen by ESPN. Leonard had a historic run in the playoffs, and he proved that he didn't need multiple All-Stars to win a championship. No one can say that he didn't deserve the recognition.
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