Even after a rough 2020/21 NBA season, LeBron James remains one of the best players in the world. The King didn’t have the best time with the Lakers last campaign, but that doesn’t mean he’s lost his status in the league.
For instance, many general managers and coaches would pick him for a winner-take-all game over Kevin Durant. These two have dueled to get the title of the best player in the world, and even though KD returned in great shape last season, people would still side with Bron on this matter.
According to Zach Lowe of ESPN, James is still the favorite for executives and coaches around the association.
“He’s still LeBron,” Lowe wrote. “He takes care of his body. A lot of GMs and coaches — maybe most, maybe half or a smidgen lower considering [Kevin] Durant’s last calendar year — would draft him No. 1 for a winner-take-all game. But it might be time to apply the ‘if healthy’ qualifier here, too.”
James has been at the top of the game for 18 years now. His numbers in Games 7 are remarkable, and that’s something that people will always notice. Of course, you can say he fell short last season, being eliminated by the Phoenix Suns in the first round of the playoff, but that didn’t change his image in the league.
Durant showed great things with the Nets, taking them to the second round of the postseason. Unfortunately, the Milwaukee Bucks eliminated them in seven games, with KD air balling a game-winning 3-pointer.
Perhaps that situation helped LeBron and hurt Durant, but we will have the chance to see these two healthy this next season. Lakers and Nets are expected to compete for the 2022 NBA championship, with these superstars leading the way. If they clash in the Finals, several debates will be settled once and for all.
