Kawhi Leonard shares his honest opinion about the best NBA player
Since before Christmas, probably no one in the NBA is playing basketball better than Los Angeles Clippers star Kawhi Leonard. He changed into it after their Dec. 20 win against the Los Angeles Lakers; the Clippers have gone 20-7 since then to salvage a 6-21 start, with Leonard playing at an MVP level, averaging 30 points, 6.9 rebounds, 4.0 assists and 2.2 steals on 49/40/89 shooting.
That’s why it was pretty baffling that Leonard didn’t make the All-Star roster right away, and NBA head coaches didn’t think the Clippers star was worth a spot. It wasn’t until a string of injuries made room for commissioner Adam Silver to add him to Team USA Stripes. I Leonard put on a show in front of their home fans at the 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.
“To me, it’s like a rotation. Every day. Every week. You get guys who score 50 goals, have great defensive plays. And the next night someone doesn’t play well, someone else shines. To me, the rankings are just based on maintaining the hype around the game,” Leonard said.
“I feel like I’m one of the best when I play basketball.”
“I feel like I’m one of the best when I play basketball. 👀.”
Kawhi Leonard on how the best player in the NBA changes from day to day. pic.twitter.com/vrNR0k3LzD
— NBA (@NBA) February 16, 2026
Kawhi Leonard is truly one of the best in the business for the Clippers
Alleged bypassing of caps to the sideLeonard is a brilliant two-way player who steps into a different kind of first tier for the Clippers. From 2021 to 2024, things were very difficult for Leonard as he dealt with a myriad of knee issues that prevented him from making a consistent impact on his team, especially in the playoffs.
But Leonard is somehow healthier than he’s ever been since 2019, and the Clippers loom as a dangerous threat for a lower seed in the West, especially once they get a healthy Darius Garland back.
2026-02-16 07:18:00
