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#3 Kawhi Leonard
Though Kawhi Leonard and the LA Clippers are coming off of a horrible defeat in the 2020 NBA Playoffs against the Denver Nuggets, the 29-year-old remains one of the top players in the league and certainly a top-3 athlete at his position.
Leonard, even though he load managed a lot during the regular season, was essential for the LA Clippers in the regular season, and even in the Playoffs before the team's meltdown in the last three games against the Nuggets.
Leonard is a two-time NBA champion and two-time Finals MVP with two different teams. He is also a four-time All-Star and a two-time Defensive Player of the Year award winner. And his current performances remain at the level of his resume.
Leonard averaged 27 points (career-high), 7 rebounds, and 5 assists (career-high) per game in the 2019-20 season. In the Playoffs, his numbers went up to 28 points, 9 rebounds, and 6 assists per game, but the LA Clippers - and Leonard - were a disappointment.
#2 Kevin Durant
Kevin Durant did not play a single minute of the unique 2019-20 NBA season, but there are no doubts about what level he will be at when he returns next year.
Now a Brooklyn Nets player, Durant remains a top-2 SF in the game (many would even call him the best player on the current NBA).
Durant is expected to have a career year once the next season begins, and that is what he and his team need if they are going to be a factor in the Eastern Conference.
Durant has a career average of 27 points per game, which is the sixth-highest in NBA history. He is also a regular-season MVP, two-time NBA Finals MVP, 10-time All-Star and four-time NBA scoring champion.
#1 LeBron James
What else can we say about LeBron James' greatness? Well, you can say he is the best point guard in the current NBA, and you can also say he is the best small forward should he play at the position.
But the bottom line is this - he is the best player on the planet and is arguably the greatest of all time.
James achieved his fourth NBA Championship by guiding the LA Lakers to their 17th NBA title, and he won another NBA Finals MVP (his fourth with a third different team - NBA record) at age 35.
In his 17th NBA season, James averaged 25 points per game and led the league in assists to push the Lakers to the first seed in the West. James averaged 28 points, 11 rebounds, and 9 assists during the NBA Playoffs, shooting 56 percent from the field and returning to his place as the king of the league after missing the 2019 playoffs.
