Is Kawhi Leonard underrated? That question is entirely subjective. If you view Kawhi Leonard as a top 5 player in the NBA, and the best two way player in the league, then he is justly acclaimed. Kawhi Leonard is a different kind of beast in every facet of the game. From his quiet emergence on the NBA scene to his premature NBA Finals MVP award, Leonard has exemplified poise, maturity, improvement, attention to detail, and execution. Every year, Kawhi Leonard has found a flaw in his game, and has drastically improved it. Every year since his rookie year, Leonard has increased his points per game by at least 3.8 points (to the exception of his third season). In addition, each year in the league, he has racked up .2 more blocks a game (to the …show more content…
exception of the 2014-2015 season). He has developed into one of the elite rebounding wings in the association. Are you following the trend? Aside from the minute of statistical improvements, Leonards greatest feats have been recognized with the greatest judge of excellence: the eye test.
Leonard made his mark coming out of college with his on-ball defense. It is what projectile launched him into Gregg Popovich's starting lineup as a rookie. It is the main reason his team won the championship behind his Finals MVP performance. But even with such great defensive prowess, he was able to get even better, as impossible as it sounds. Going on to win two consecutive Defensive Player of the Year Awards, Leonard proved to all that anything that may seem amazing can only be made even more amazing. His defense is not the only mark of drastic and improbable improvement. Kawhi Leonard's three point shooting has taken leaps and bounds. A 37% 3 point shooter for the first 4 years of his career, Leonard skyrocketed to 44% last season, making him amongst the top 5 3 point shooters in the NBA. Couple that with a 51% mark from the field and you've discovered the definition of …show more content…
efficiency. Kawhi Leonard has been everything a coach can dream of. The best defender in the league, a top 5, possibly top 10 3 point shooter in the league, and one of the 5 most efficient players not named Lebron James, Kevin Durant, Chris Paul, or Deandre Jordan. To add icing to the cake, Leonard did something only those who truly, deeply yearn for ultimate greatness do. In the offseason, he sought the council of Kobe Bryant, only one of the greatest players and closers of all time, and has become one of the more clutch players in the league. His dribble move repertoire has transformed completely, and his ability to break down defenses and put the offense on his back is very mamba-esque. Admittedly, a lot of his growth can be attributed to the phenomenal coaching of Gregg Popovich. Unknown to his workout regiment or daily work ethic, it is safe to say however, that much of his maturation and improvement can be partially accredited to "Pop." And still, even with all of these improvements, and his team constantly either the first or second seed in the West, Leonard is never exalted to the top of MVP ladders. Yes, there are a couple players in the NBA better than Leonard. Even more so, it is hard to vouch for the guy when he has a system that facilitates the team's greatness, and he is competing against a guy averaging a triple-double and another near it! Still, it is hard to fathom how the season he is having most likely won't garner league MVP honors. The NBA MVP award, like the initial question posed, is subjective.
It is not always awarded to the game's best, but who has the best season. But if we are talking strictly who are the best players in the NBA, Leonard can't fall any further than 4th on the list. LeBron is the best in the world and its been that way for 7 going on 8 years now. Kevin Durant is a close second, and is really on Bron's tail. Some could make the case Leonard was better last year, but with his much improved defense and his eye popping efficiency, the "Durantula" is second for a reason. After that, everyone else is up for debate. You could make a case that Leonard is better than two time reigning MVP Steph Curry. And while I do think Curry has the advantage since he singlehandedly revolutionized a team and the entire league, something only a handful of greats have ever been able to do, is inadequate defense and suspect clutch meltdowns in the finals are cause to
pause. The last facet of Leonard's game that needs some improvement is his facilitating ability. As of right now, that is literally THE ONLY THING that gives James Harden and Russell Westbrook more credence over him. I am not saying Leonard has to be a walking triple double or even average 8-10 assists. But to be fair, his 2.0 career assists per game stat is alarming. And no player that has been proclaimed the best player in the NBA has ever registered such putrid numbers in the assist column. His 3.3 assists this season are still not good enough. Yes he plays in a free-flowing offense. Yes his team does not have a set facilitator as all players take up that responsibility. But so do the Golden State Warriors. So do the Boston Celtics. If Kawhi can take his assists from 3.3 to 5, or even 6, with his current 25.5 points and 6 boards, you can't tell me he doesn't have a legitimate claim to the best in the world title. All the while locking up the other competitors in the conversation? Please. Kawhi is primed to be the game's best. And you know what makes me so sure? His tract record. He has targeted every flaw in his game. Money has it he realizes this one this offseason, and tackles it head on.
It was not until the year 2002 that the NBA was able to find someone to match Jordan’s dazzling acrobatic style of play. His name is Lebron James. Lebron, who plays shooting guard and small forward, stands at an athletic six-eight. James, however, never played in the NCAA. He was drafted straight out of high school in the 2003-04 season, by the Cleveland Cavaliers. James is already on the road to success by achieving co-rookie of the year, and he appeared in the Olympics. James is expected to be a champion, but he may not have what it takes to become a real champion such as Michael Jordan was. Before Jordan or James can be categorized as a champion, they have to be able to handle pressure, fame, and maintain a positive relationship with their team. When comparing Jordan and James’ clutch capabilities, or their ab...
His team is winning, and he’s the main reason why. It’s not that Kyrie hasn’t been great, but he obviously isn’t the main reason why Cleveland is winning, and to be fair, the Cavs have been a little disappointing in their championship defense. Another overlooked player is Paul Millsap. Although Jimmy Butler and Giannis Antetokounmpo have been better statistically speaking, Millsap has been solid and the Hawks have a winning record. R Bholat (): Every upcoming All-Star weekend gives us a few snubs about the big mid-season game that gets fans all over the world ranting to anyone who will listen.
Shaquille O’Neal was an NBA center; his life has been pretty fascinating as you can tell. Shaq was the most dominant center to ever live because he hold the number one spot for blocks, rebounds, and points in his position. So therefore you can tell by stats that he was one of if not the most dominant players to ever live, you can ask anyone and they will tell you the same thing, people might even say he was the best rookie to ever come out of college, as well as one of the best players to come out of high
Everybody had high expectations about him, they were seeing in him a new leader, a new beginning for the Pistons. He didn’t prove anybody wrong. He started at the 1995 all-star game after becoming the first rookie ever to lead all players in fan voting. Along with Jason Kidd of the Dallas Mavericks, were co-voted as the Rookie Players of the Year. In the next four seasons, he started in all all-star games and averaged 23.2 Points Per Game, 7.6 Rebounds Per Game and 6.7 Assist Per Game.
Although many youngsters fail in the NBA, there are a few high school players who have had, or do have a successful career in the NBA. Some of these are, Moses Malone, Kobe Bryant, Tracey McGrady, and this year’s most valu...
The NBA is well known for the number of amazing professional athletes it has had over the years. Some of the most gifted and talented individuals come through the NBA and one of the better-known superstars is none other than Kobe Bryant. For years people have wondered what makes Bryant so successful. The main contributors that lead to Kobe Bryant’s success is his hard work and dedication, his mindset, his natural ability’s and talent, and the people that have helped him throughout his life. Kobe Bryant was very successful in the NBA because of the amount of hard work he has put in, the people in his life, his relentless determination and his god given natural abilities.
If Michael Jordan wasn’t as good as people say, look at his statistics and the numbers will prove that he is the best basketball player in the history of the sport making him an outlier. If he was just an average kid from North Carolina without athletic skills, he wouldn’t have gotten as much attention as he received. He would’ve been “Michael Jordan from down the street”, not “Michael Jordan: Hall of Famer.”
He was the most dominating force the sport has ever seen, perhaps any sport has ever seen, a colossus whose impact is felt to this day. He was the most unbelievable center to ever play the game in terms of domination and intimidation. There's no one that ever played the game better than Wilt Chamberlain. "This was a man for all the ages."
How do you measure the greatness of the two biggest NBA superstars of all time? Michael Jordan is significantly known for being the ultimate basketball player in NBA history. However, LeBron James is considered one of the top basketball players in the NBA now. There inspiring leadership and unbelievable talent on the court makes it hard for us to choose a winner. James is continuously breaking NBA history, but Jordan's mighty legacy is considered unbreakable. Why can't both exceptional players be valued and appreciated, rather than compared?
Stephen Curry, currently one of the best players in the NBA, experienced an obstacle when he was not to a top college. Rather than seeing this as an end to his NBA dreams, he overcame this obstacle by turning it in to an opportunity. As a member of the Davidson College team, the underdogs at the 2008 NCAA tournament, he was able to demonstrate his skills during his teams dream run to the final 8. Through his shooting prowess and never give up mentality he showed the basketball world his ability to change the course of a game. Had he not been challenged by this obstacle he may not have had the opportunity to demonstrate his skills, with this opportunity acting as a catalyst for many more in the future.
First, we will celebrate LeBron James’s accomplishments in the NBA. There are over 400 players in the NBA. These players are on the battlefield, fighting day after day because they all know only one can become the Most Valuable Player. LeBron James rose above all, claiming the MVP award, not 1, not 2, not 3, but 4 times. Not only is LeBron James an MVP, but he is also a 13-time All-Star player. LeBron James garnered enough votes from the fans, the players, and the media to become an All-Star like a presidential candidate getting enough votes from the voters to become the President.
We're no longer counting rings, because whatever number LeBron ends up with – and it'll be more than two -- it'll be enough (four, six, eight, whatever) to render the ring conversation irrelevant. We've never counted MVP awards, because for a long time it has been obvious that LeBron was going to win more MVPs than anyone who has ever played. Jordan and Bill Russell had five. Kareem Abdul-Jabbar had six. LeBron has four, and he's 28 years old. He could end his career with eight or 10 of those things, so we can't use the MVP argument. That would mean LeBron is the greatest ever, and that just will not do. (Doyel Internet)
...MVP twice, NBA Rookie of the Year, NBA scoring champion, All-NBA First Team six times, All-NBA Second Team twice, NBA All-Defensive First Team 4 times, NBA All-Rookie First Team, 2012 USA Basketball Male Athlete of the Year, 2012 Sports Illustrated Sportsman of the Year, Cleveland Cavaliers all-time leading scorer, Naismith Prep Player of the Year 2013, and USA Mr. Basketball for two consecutive years.
With superstar snipers in Stephen Curry and Klay Thompson it is no wonder the Golden State Warriors lead the NBA in 3 point shooting percentage. Not only are they shooting over 40% from behind the 3 point line, which many consider to be the barometer of an elite shooter, as a team they are the number 1, three point shooting team with a 4...