The Top 10 Players In The NBA Right Now
By Ti Windisch
2. Kawhi Leonard, San Antonio Spurs
The ever-quiet Kawhi Leonard might never get the attention he deserves. Part of that comes from the all-business attitude of his San Antonio Spurs, but Kawhi is just a low-key guy in general.
| Season | GS | MP | FGA | FG% | 3PA | 3P% | eFG% | FTA | FT% | ORB | DRB | TRB | AST | STL | BLK | TOV | PF | PTS |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2015-16 ★ | 59 | 32.7 | 14.9 | .507 | 4.0 | .466 | .569 | 4.3 | .877 | 1.3 | 5.6 | 6.8 | 2.5 | 1.8 | 0.9 | 1.4 | 1.8 | 20.8 |
| Career | 284 | 29.7 | 10.5 | .499 | 2.9 | .394 | .553 | 2.7 | .825 | 1.3 | 5.0 | 6.3 | 1.9 | 1.8 | 0.7 | 1.2 | 1.8 | 13.9 |
Provided by Basketball-Reference.com: View Original Table
Generated 3/9/2016.
His numbers, however, are far from low-key. Kawhi is arguably the best defender in the NBA, and also scores nearly 21 points per game on 50 percent shooting from the field and 46 percent from three-point range. His offensive game has matured rapidly.
Leonard also adds 6.8 rebounds, 2.5 assists, 1.8 steals and nearly a block per game. Keep in mind he doesn’t play a lot of minutes per game–a Spurs staple–so his per game averages would look considerably better if he played as much as the other players as this list do.
It’s an easy way to write that a player is gifted at more than one or two NBA skills, but not many players can really do it all. Kawhi Leonard is one guy who absolutely can, and does. The Spurs are great for a lot of reasons, but Kawhi’s presence might be the biggest one.
In a year dominated by one player’s excellence, Kawhi is the best non-Steph Curry player in the NBA. That means something.
Next: Number One