Gregg Popovich Calls Kawhi Leonard “The Best Player” In The NBA, Is He Right?

Is San Antonio Spurs head coach Gregg Popovich right about Kawhi Leonard being better than Cleveland Cavaliers forward LeBron James?

Gregg Popovich just tried to shake up reality. Last night, he said that Kawhi Leonard, not Cleveland Cavaliers small forward LeBron James, was the best player in the NBA.

Speaking to the media postgame after the San Antonio Spurs defeated the Memphis Grizzlies 103-96 in Game 6, Spurs head coach Gregg Popovich let loose a bombshell. When asked about the Spurs’ experience, Popovich’s answer about their moving pieces over their years curtailed into praise of Leonard, who Coach Pop called “the best player in the league, right now”. The best two-way player, to be exact.

The best player in the league you say?

Better than LeBron James? Who has played the best basketball of their career this season?

I mean, the guy has had a career year but not so fast.

While Leonard is the more efficient scorer from the outside, he’s not nearly as lethal in a singular area of the floor as James is in the paint.

That Leonard is more efficient doesn’t mean much as James has the same tools in his shed. In addition, this is only Leonard’s second year averaging more than 20.0 points per game and while he’s been efficient throughout his career, his shooting percentage on particular shots, like long twos, may wane in the future.

James has averaged at least 20.0 points per game every year since his rookie season and has always been a terror inside the paint.

Leonard has shown the ability to be outstanding playmaker on the perimeter. Yet, James is the quintessential playmaker in the NBA.

Leonard isn’t a system player. He knows how to dribble-drive and kick out to the open shooter or find a teammate inside.

However, James is the best at improvising on the drive and finding a shooter, setting up shooters for open shots and he’s better at hitting players as they roll or cut to the rim. He can make any throw. Even the ones that are unexpected and seem impossible.

For evidence of the difference in their playmaking abilities, James’ career-high of 8.6 assists per game is more than double Leonard’s career-high of 3.5 assists per game. James’ career average of 7.0 assists per game is more than three times Leonard’s career average of 2.3 assists per game.

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While Leonard is the most impressive defensive wing player NBA, with his ability to lockdown opponents on the outside and strip ballhandlers, James’ defensive ability is just as impressive. He’s capable of the same lockdown defense but he’s not as consistent with his defensive effort and, subsequently, impact.

James is a more dynamic defender because of his size and athleticism.

Leonard is a player who can play 1-4. James is a player who can play 1-5.

James, who we know is a point-forward, played 1.0 percent of his minutes at shooting guard, 61.0 percent of his minutes at small forward, 35.0 percent of his minutes at power forward and 3.0 percent of his minutes at center this season.

Leonard, who we have seen guarding both guard positions, has played 93.0 percent of his minutes at small forward and 7.0 percent of his minutes at power forward this season.

What also makes James’ defense as dangerous than Leonard’s is that after steals or blocks, James is far more likely to convert the turnovers into fast break points on the other end.

In the regular season, James had 5.6 transition plays per game and scored 6.8 points per game off of those plays while shooting 71.2 percent from the field (73.7 percent effective field goal percentage).

Leonard had 2.9 transition plays per game and scored 3.8 points per game off of those plays while shooting 63.2 percent from the field (69.3 percent effective field goal percentage).

In terms of his intangibles, James’ vocal leadership is the more impressive. Teammates have bought into James’ speeches and James’ blueprint for success. Players literally leave money on the table to try to win a championship with James. They believe in him that much.

In San Antonio, Leonard is the quiet killer and hasn’t had to be the leader that brings teammates together off-the-court or rally them in the middle of the game. Leonard, who may always be a stoic presence for the Spurs, may never be that vocal leader that the outspoken James is.

Lastly, James’ basketball IQ is higher than Leonard’s.

He always seems to be one step ahead on both offense and defense. He’s the best at setting up hockey assists and completing skip passes and always knows what matchup he needs to get in the pick-and-roll. He always knows where his teammates are on the court. He jumps passing lanes like Darrelle Revis breaking on a route in the NFL.

He seems to remember everything he sees on the court.

Leonard is the second-best player in the group but you’d have to wonder what kind of praises he’d be singing if he had Durant starting at small forward instead of Leonard or Curry at point guard.

What he would say if he had James instead of Leonard.

My guess is that he’d say the same thing he just said about Leonard.

If he had James he may even say that he’s the best player ever.

I mean, mixing together Pop’s success with James’ talent and the Spurs’ penchant for player development would have been a deadly combination, don’t you think?

At 25-years-old, Leonard may be the best player in the league sooner rather than later as James enters the twilight of his career. However, Leonard probably won’t get that title until the turn of the decade.

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What do you think about Gregg Popovich saying Kawhi Leonard is the best player in the league? Let us know your thoughts in the comments section or Twitter @KJG_NBA.