Since before Christmas Day, there is arguably nobody in the NBA playing better basketball than Los Angeles Clippers star Kawhi Leonard. A switch in him flipped after their December 20 victory against the Los Angeles Lakers; the Clippers have gone 20-7 since then to rescue themselves from a 6-21 start, and Leonard has been playing at an MVP level, averaging 30 points, 6.9 rebounds, 4.0 assists, and 2.2 steals on 49/40/89 shooting splits.

This was why it was quite perplexing that Leonard did not make it to the All-Star Game roster off the bat, with head coaches around the NBA not deeming the Clippers star worthy of a spot. It wasn't until a slew of injuries opened up a spot for commissioner Adam Silver to add him to the Team USA Stripes squad. And Leonard put on a show in front of his own home fans at Intuit Dome, popping off for 31 points on 11-13 shooting in just 10 minutes of play in their 48-45 win over Team World.

“For me, it's like rotation. Everyday. Every week. You get guys coming out scoring 50, having great defensive games. And the next night, somebody's not playing well, somebody else is gonna shine. For me, the ranking is just based on keeping the hype around the game,” Leonard said.

“I feel like I'm one of the best at when I am playing basketball.”

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Kawhi Leonard, is indeed, one of the best in the business for the Clippers

Clippers forward Kawhi Leonard (2) reacts to his winning basket against the Houston Rockets in the fourth quarter at Toyota Center
Thomas Shea-Imagn Images

Alleged cap circumvention aside, Leonard is a brilliant two-way player who's entering a second prime of sorts for the Clippers. From 2021 to 2024, circumstances were very much trying for Leonard, as he dealt with a myriad of knee troubles that prevented him from making a consistent impact for his team, especially in the playoffs.

But Leonard is somehow healthier than he's ever been since 2019, and the Clippers are looming as a dangerous lower-seeded threat in the West, especially once they get Darius Garland back healthy.