According to basketball analyst Brian Windhorst, Paul George of the Oklahoma City Thunder is a candidate for MVP, Most Improved Player, and Defensive Player of the Year.

Windhorst is not exaggerating his claims. George is having the best season of his career. He's averaging career-highs in points (28.6 per game), rebounds (8.1), assists (4.3), and steals (2.3).

And from a team perspective, the Thunder currently sports a 39-24 record for third place in the competitive Western Conference. Analysts even believe that Russell Westbrook has taken a step back in carrying the team. According to them, George's stellar efforts have been critical in the Thunder's success this season.

He's one of the rare breeds of an all-around guy. A player who's a threat on the offensive and defensive sides of the court. Fans will have to wait if George indeed does win one or all of the trophies. But if he does win the Most Improved Player award, he'll be the only one in history to have won it twice. To recall, he was given the award in the 2012-2013 season — his breakout year with the Indiana Pacers.

We'll have to wait until the end of the season to find out if the rest of the league believes that George should win one of the three awards. But even without them, George has already made a statement. He's already part of the NBA's elites.