5. Dwyane Wade - It was hard to come up with my #5 here. I love Tim Duncan, Dirk Nowitzki, I think that Kevin Durant is quickly on the rise, and believe that Kevin Garnett is still elite. But Dwyane Wade had an amazing 2008-2009 campaign, having led the NBA in points per game.
His turnovers were a bit high, but no one's complaining. Wade definitely won his team far more games than they would have won without him.
4. Dwight Howard - Superman has assumed the role that Kevin Garnett occupied about 5-10 years ago. A dominant big man with a build that allows him to move as quickly as a small forward does. While he shoots free throws like Shaq, he's improving in this department.
Howard led the NBA in rebounds (13.8) and blocks (2.9), shooting an amazing 57.8% from the field. What's not to like?
3. Chris Paul - One of my personal favorites in the NBA, Chris Paul is as talented a point guard as almost any that I've seen in my life. Just a few years into his career, he doesn't even seem to have reached his peak yet. Having the NBA's best assist per game total in addition to the most steals per game speaks volumes about his talent.
2. Kobe Bryant - Some may criticize me for putting Kobe at #2, and not #1. After all, he led his team to an NBA championship this past season. But hear me out. He's still an incredible player, make no mistake about it - but his numbers have slowly begun to decline. At 30 years old, this is to be expected.
I might get criticized for putting Kobe over LeBron for this reason, but let's think about something. If Kobe was traded to the Cavs and LeBron went to the Lakers, which team would be stronger? Would Cleveland win a championship? No way, and I believe that this says it all about these two.
1. LeBron James - No championship in Cleveland yet, but he'll get his eventually. If you swapped LeBron and Kobe, I can undoubtedly say that the Lakers would still be champions. Probably even more dominant than now, because LeBron's numbers are pure gold. What he does for an otherwise miserable team in the Cavs is simply remarkable.
His turnovers were a bit high, but no one's complaining. Wade definitely won his team far more games than they would have won without him.
4. Dwight Howard - Superman has assumed the role that Kevin Garnett occupied about 5-10 years ago. A dominant big man with a build that allows him to move as quickly as a small forward does. While he shoots free throws like Shaq, he's improving in this department.
Howard led the NBA in rebounds (13.8) and blocks (2.9), shooting an amazing 57.8% from the field. What's not to like?
3. Chris Paul - One of my personal favorites in the NBA, Chris Paul is as talented a point guard as almost any that I've seen in my life. Just a few years into his career, he doesn't even seem to have reached his peak yet. Having the NBA's best assist per game total in addition to the most steals per game speaks volumes about his talent.
2. Kobe Bryant - Some may criticize me for putting Kobe at #2, and not #1. After all, he led his team to an NBA championship this past season. But hear me out. He's still an incredible player, make no mistake about it - but his numbers have slowly begun to decline. At 30 years old, this is to be expected.
I might get criticized for putting Kobe over LeBron for this reason, but let's think about something. If Kobe was traded to the Cavs and LeBron went to the Lakers, which team would be stronger? Would Cleveland win a championship? No way, and I believe that this says it all about these two.
1. LeBron James - No championship in Cleveland yet, but he'll get his eventually. If you swapped LeBron and Kobe, I can undoubtedly say that the Lakers would still be champions. Probably even more dominant than now, because LeBron's numbers are pure gold. What he does for an otherwise miserable team in the Cavs is simply remarkable.
About the Author:
Jesse Boskoff is the founder of RootZoo Sports, a social sports network with a vibrant sports forum, a massive collection of sports trivia questions , fantasy leagues, and a lot more. He can't wait for next NBA season to begin.
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