Fadeaway World’s Ultimate 1-On-1 Small Forward Tournament

After massive success with our point guard and shooting guard 1-on-1 tournaments, we have decided to continue with 16 of the best current small forwards in the NBA going head-to-head in their own 1-on-1 tournament. Luka Doncic claimed the title for point guards while Devin Booker took home the win for the shooting guards. Now, it is time to see which current small forward is ready to claim their right to be called the best 1-on-1 player at their position.

As always, we have taken the 16 best small forwards in today’s game and arranged them according to how we would rank them currently. In a 1-16 seeded format, you will see how their placements came about in the bracket below:

With the matchups all set, there are a few rules that you as the readers need to take in before the games begin.

Rules:

– No Shot Clock

– Unlimited dribbles

– Winner retains possession (keeps possessions after a made basket)

– Games are to be played to 21 and all players must win by at least two points

Now that the rules have been laid out and the matchups are set, let’s get into Fadeaway World’s Ultimate 1-on-1 Small Forward Tournament.

LeBron James vs. Andrew Wiggins

Our first matchup features the No. 1 overall seed LeBron James taking on the 16th-seeded Andrew Wiggins. In a matchup that is supposed to be completely one-sided, Wiggins’ tough perimeter defense and athletic ability will be what keeps this contest close as it drags on.

James is in a groove for the first few possessions, using his superior strength and IQ to bulldoze his way through Wiggins to the basket. Off a miss, Wiggins gets a few baskets back by driving right by James with a few failed attempts from James at recovering and going for the block from behind.

Once Wiggins misses again, James knows he cannot relinquish any more possessions and begins to make his way to the finish line. Without a single jumper taken by James, he finishes Wiggins off with consistent finishes at the rim to ease on by in his first-round win.

Final Result: LeBron James vs. Andrew Wiggins 21-14

Jimmy Butler vs. OG Anunoby

The next matchup in the first round of this 1-on-1 tournament features Jimmy Butler of the Miami Heat going head-to-head with OG Anunoby of the Toronto Raptors. Butler brings a slightly more polished offensive game much more suitable for 1-on-1 situations while Anunoby brings a two-way ability that doesn’t get talked about nearly enough.

Anunoby begins the game on defense where he thrives early on, forcing Butler into tough, off-balance shots that are just off from the outside. In turn, Anunoby also struggles to convert offensively with Butler’s physical display of defense visibly frustrating the Toronto small forward, turning this one into a defensive struggle for the ages.

Eventually, Butler begins to get his mid-range jumper to drop consistently. His change of direction and speed are too much for an exhausted Anunoby. Butler pulls away late, setting up an extremely fun and riveting second-round matchup with LeBron James.

Final Result: Jimmy Butler vs. OG Anunoby 21-16

Paul George vs. Tim Hardaway Jr.

In our next matchup, one of the overall favorites in the tournament, Paul George, takes on Tim Hardaway Jr. who is having a revitalized season in 2023-24 with the Dallas Mavericks. George brings a full package of creativity and skill to this matchup while Hardaway Jr. just hopes to compete well enough to stay in it as long as possible.

Hardaway Jr. cannot get much going without getting his outside shot going, and with George’s elite pressure on the ball, that possibility goes out the window almost immediately.. George’s total package of handles, pull-ups, change of direction, and efficiency become way too much for Hardaway to even fathom stopping defensively. This one gets out of hand extremely quickly and George runs away with a victory.

Final Result: Paul George vs. Tim Hardaway Jr. 21-11

Kyle Kuzma vs. Khris Middleton

Our next matchup is one of the most evenly matched games of the first round. Kyle Kuzma brings his skill set up against Khris Middleton as the two supremely skilled forwards do battle in a 1-on-1 situation. Kuzma has a bit of an upper hand in the size department while Middleton’s shot-making and creation are a step up from Kuzma’s.

Using his size, Kuzma gets out to an early lead thanks to high-efficiency shots from at or near the rim. Middleton bounces back to even things up with his smooth mid-range jumper that feels automatic once he gets into a rhythm. With it being all offense to start this one, a defensive stop is going to be key to a win for both players.

That eventually comes from Middleton who has figured out Kuzma’s game and forces him left in order to force Kuzma into more off-balance shots. Middleton takes advantage of this with more on-target mid-range shots that eventually bury Kuzma far enough that he cannot recover.

Final Result: Kyle Kuzma vs. Khris Middleton 15-21

Kawhi Leonard vs. Cameron Johnson

Another one of the top favorites for this 1-on-1 tournament is Kawhi Leonard who gets his run underway in a warmup game of sorts against Brooklyn’s Cameron Johnson. Leonard has a clear advantage on both sides of the ball other than a slight height advantage going in Johnson’s favor.

Leonard knows that Johnson’s best shot is from the perimeter so swarming him on the outside will force him to take uncomfortable shots and make tough decisions when it comes to his shot selection. On top of that, Johnson’s defense is no match for Leonard’s superior offensive repertoire and the strength he possesses to get to the rim at will.

Leonard makes swift and easy work of Johnson in the first round, punishing him with stifling defensive pressure and efficient offensive attacks.

Final Result: Kawhi Leonard vs. Cameron Johnson 21-13

Brandon Ingram vs. Keldon Johnson

Next up in our sixth matchup of the first round is a game between two underrated small forwards. Brandon Ingram is a Kevin Durant-like forward whose length and mid-range jumper are his biggest weapons. Keldon Johnson’s game is much more tailored for team basketball but he does have an exceptional first step off the dribble that can be used to combat Ingram’s length.

Ingram comes out on fire, shooting over Johnson fairly easily and handling the ball in a way that keeps Johnson guessing at every turn. Johnson gets a few points back with smooth finishes at the basket off the dribble, surprisingly getting around Ingram. In the end, Ingram pulls away with his efficient shot-making from within the arc while also knocking down a few shots from the perimeter to move on to the quarterfinals.

Final Result: Brandon Ingram vs. Keldon Johnson 21-14

DeMar DeRozan vs. Michael Porter Jr.

As the first round of action begins to wind down, we come to one of the most intriguing matchups of the tournament. Veteran DeMar DeRozan brings his all-around talent into a matchup with Denver’s Michael Porter Jr. who has never met a shot or challenge he didn’t like on the basketball court.

DeRozan, the more skilled isolation scorer, gets things started with quick dribbles and steps to set up his mid-range jumper that has become his bread and butter throughout the years. Porter Jr., desperate to climb back into the game, fires and makes a few shots from the outside to bring it within two possessions.

DeRozan once again pulls away for good this time as Porter tries to cheat on the mid-range only for DeRozan to blow by him for easy finishes at the cup. Porter Jr. tries feverishly to climb back into this one but eventually falls after consecutive jumpers buried by DeMar.

Final Result: DeMar DeRozan vs. Michael Porter Jr. 21-17

Franz Wagner vs. Scottie Barnes

We have come to the final matchup of the first round between our No. 8 and No. 9 seeds, Franz Wagner and Scottie Barnes. Both are young and rising stars in the NBA, enjoying fantastic individual seasons in their third year of service.

Barnes’ size mixed with his speed and incredibly gifted scoring ability for his size are huge advantages over Wagner. On the contrary, Wagner’s control of the ball and attack on the rim could see Barnes fall victim to overzealous defensive pressure that Wagner easily fights through.

In a back-and-forth battle, Barnes takes the upper hand using his size to get Wagner into the paint where he can go to work more efficiently. Wagner can do little to stop the sheer power of Barnes on the interior and sees the matchup slowly fade away from him with no comeback in sight.

Final Result: Franz Wagner vs. Scottie Barnes 16-21

Quarterfinals

LeBron James vs. Jimmy Butler

The first matchup of the quarterfinals in this tournament is the premier matchup of the round as LeBron James gets ready to do battle with Jimmy Butler. Unlike Wiggins, Butler does a tremendous job at keeping bigger opponents at bay and away from the basket defensively. James will have to start hitting some shots from further than five feet and inward.

The one thing that is going to be Butler’s downfall in this matchup despite his defensive play being elite is his inefficiency as a shooter at times. James does allow his opponents to get to the rim a bit more often but not as much as Butler needs to be victorious. James can bank some points using these errant shots to gain extra possessions and pull away for good.

Although Butler puts up a decent fight, in the end, James’ size and power become too much for Butler to stop or slow down consistently. James advances to the Semifinals to take on the winner of our next matchup.

Final Result: LeBron James vs. Jimmy Butler 21-17

Paul George vs. Khris Middleton

Paul George and Khris Middleton are two small forwards with eerily similar skill sets at times. While George is clearly the more well-rounded player, Middleton has streaks of play which often make him look like one of the top offensive small forwards in the NBA. That would not be the case on this day though.

George’s offensive skill set combined with his unwavering defensive play make this the end of the road for Middleton. There is not much that Middleton can do to slow down the three-level display that George shows offensively. If Middleton pressures him, George simply goes around him for a bucket. If Middleton recovers in time, George stops on a dime and drains a mid-range jumper effortlessly.

As this gets uglier and uglier for Middleton, George quickly puts him out of his misery in a rout that sets up a highly-anticipated semifinal matchup with LeBron James.

Final Result: Paul George vs. Khris Middleton 21-12

Kawhi Leonard vs. Brandon Ingram

As we transfer back to the bottom half of the bracket, we get an interesting matchup between Kawhi Leonard and Brandon Ingram. Leonard is the favorite heading into the competition but Ingram will be no easy opponent for any player opposite him to handle. Kawhi must be on top of his game defensively in order to keep Ingram adjusting and out of rhythm.

Leonard begins the game doing just that, making Ingram put the ball on the floor much more than he is comfortable with which leads to off-balance and inefficient attempts. Ingram does recover though and hits Leonard with a few mid-range jumpers to climb back into the mix. Leonard responds with defensive stops and a poster dunk that all but sealed the outcome of this one less than halfway through.

While Ingram fights valiantly, the two-way effort from Leonard becomes far too much for him to overcome. Leonard rightfully seals the matchup with a beautiful stop-and-pop mid-range jumper to advance.

Final Result: Kawhi Leonard vs. Brandon Ingram 21-15

DeMar DeRozan vs. Scottie Barnes

Our final matchup is an interesting one between one of the greatest players in Toronto Raptors history in DeMar DeRozan going up against a young Raptors player just beginning to write his legacy in Scottie Barnes.

At first glance, you may think Barnes could run away with this one simply due to his overwhelming size advantage over DeRozan. While that will come into play, DeRozan is the more efficient shooter and finisher which is going to take Barnes out of his comfort zone too often to overcome.

As the matchup progresses, it is clear that DeRozan, the far more polished offensive player, has the total advantage over Barnes. Gambles on defense and ill-advised attempts on offense are Barnes’ downfall as awarding DeRozan extra possessions becomes detrimental to his chances at victory.

Final Result: DeMar DeRozan vs. Scottie Barnes 21-16

Semifinals

LeBron James vs. Paul George

As we head into our final four of this ultimate small forward tournament, we have two of the most even matchups possible to determine our finalists. The first of these sees LeBron James and his infinite wisdom on the court taking on the most skilled player left in the tournament, Paul George.

George’s skills as a scorer are too much for James who is losing his legs at 39 years of age on the defensive side of the ball. George gets put to an early lead thanks to his tough shot-making and creation off the dribble that he has nearly perfected over the years. Eventually, James figures out that his size and strength will be too much for George to handle in the paint and goes to it regularly.

James begins to pull away once desperation settles in for George as he is unable to stop James’ downhill attacks on the rim. Although it was a close battle all the way through, LeBron’s veteran awareness and IQ helped him prevail as our first finalist.

Final Result: LeBron James vs. Paul George 21-18

Kawhi Leonard vs. DeMar DeRozan

Our last semifinal matchup features Kawhi Leonard taking on DeMar DeRozan for the chance to meet LeBron James in the Finals. Leonard and DeRozan are going to rely on their offensive game from the mid-range and in to defeat the other while defensively, Leonard holds a major advantage over DeRozan.

As good as Leonard’s defense is, DeRozan’s skills get the best of him a few times to keep the impending onslaught from Kawhi at bay. Unfortunately, that cannot go on for too long for DeRozan as he eventually turns it over and allows Leonard to begin to pull away.

As great as DeRozan has performed in this tournament from the beginning, his run comes to an end thanks to the two-way play of Leonard being just more impactful to his success. Leonard seals the deal with an uncommon shot from beyond the arc as we get the most intriguing LeBron-Kawhi matchup since the 2014 NBA Finals.

Final Result: Kawhi Leonard vs. DeMar DeRozan 21-16

Finals

LeBron James vs. Kawhi Leonard

We have finally come to the end of our tournament with two veteran small forwards representing the finalists and a chance to be crowned the best isolation small forward in the game. LeBron James and Kawhi Leonard meet for the most meaningful game since their matchups in the NBA Finals nearly a decade ago. Okay, I know it’s a fake tournament but let’s set the stage a bit here, fair enough?

As much as James has been able to get away with playing bully-ball in his first three matchups, he cannot do that with Leonard whose strength and defensive IQ are too great for James to just punish his way to victory. This allows Leonard to take advantage of James’ lackadaisical defensive effort at times and take an early lead.

Of course, you can never keep the King down as he also goes on a scoring streak, knocking down jumpers and getting to the rim using finesse rather than his brute strength. In the end, Leonard’s offensive game is just too much for James to stop, and defensively, Kawhi has cut off most of James’ go-to moves to gain an advantage. Leonard is your 2023-24 Ultimate Small Forward 1-on-1 champion.

Final Result: LeBron James vs. Kawhi Leonard 21-18