Many like to debate their pick for the best player in the NBA and until recently, there wasn't much debate since the consensus choice was LeBron James. However, Kawhi Leonard has gained traction in this debate after leading the Toronto Raptors to an NBA championship.
On a recent episode of FS1's Undisputed, Shannon Sharpe adamantly disagreed with the notion that Leonard is the best player in the NBA. In fact, Sharpe shared his belief that James is still the league's top player pointing to his basic statistical averages being higher in key areas as his basis.
There is no denying that James' statistical averages were strong for the Lakers last season. He managed to average 27.4 points, 8.5 rebounds, and 8.3 assists in what was considered a down campaign. For reference, Leonard averaged 26.6 points, 7.3 rebounds, and 3.3 for the Raptors.
Skip Bayless started with his belief that Kevin Durant is actually the best player in the NBA. He also noted that while Durant is sidelined, he will probably be ‘out of sight and out of mind' to many people engaging in the debate.
Bayless then made a counter-argument to Sharpe's claim that James is a better player than Leonard. Bayless mostly mentioned James' lack of defensive impact and missing the playoffs as key reasons why Leonard is the better player before mentioning a few low-lights from James' 2018-19 season.
To further complicate the debate surrounding the title of the NBA's best player, the answer for some go beyond the names Sharpe and Bayless discussed. The latest edition of the ESPN's top 100 players ranking placed Giannis Antetokounmpo in the top spot with Leonard at two and James taking the third spot.
It seems the debate will need to be settled on the hardwood during the upcoming season. Kawhi Leonard will be tasked with leading the Los Angeles Clippers to a strong start despite Paul George being sidelined to start the season. Meanwhile, LeBron James will be seeking to have a bounce-back season.
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