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Paul George #24 of the Indiana Pacers (Getty Images)
4. Paul George of the Indiana Pacers
This was George’s first real test as a leader of an entire franchise. In a city where basketball will always have the Reggie Miller vibe and Danny Granger’s path to being enshrined, George was made the Indiana Pacers’ floor general for this year’s playoffs. And he didn’t disappoint. George put up numbers every third year in the NBA can only dream of. A year ago, his production column read 9.7 PPG, 2.4 APG and 6.6 RPG. These playoffs saw him leap up to as much as 19.2 PPG, 7.4 RPG and 5.1 APG.
Stats say only one thing about this man from Fresno State. His leadership was so effective that players with more experience looked up to him and the team’s executive, Larry Bird, spoke so highly of him. Now, it’s unworldly if you have one of the greatest players of all time appreciate your game. He guarded each man he was put on with so much vigour that even the league’s best player and Finals MVP, LeBron James found it hard to unlock George’s man marking.
Paul George has come a long way and still has several others ways to go. But the NBA should now take notice of a new superstar in its reckoning.
