The San Antonio Spurs are loaded with some of the NBA's most talented players. But who's the best? Incoming LaMarcus Aldridge seems like a pretty good option. He's a four-time All-Star who's still in his prime. Tim Duncan is also amazing, because he's Tim Duncan.
But what about Kawhi Leonard, the reigning Defensive Player of the Year who's only 24 years old? CBS Sports' Zach Harper took a closer look right here:
Leonard is a masterful basketball player on both sides of the ball. He can score at will and shut down literally anybody in the league. The Spurs are great, but they can't win it all if Leonard doesn't play his very best in the postseason.
The NBA is so centered around the pick-and-roll that it's what sets Leonard apart from just about every player in the league. In terms of running a pick-and-roll on one end and defending it on the other end, he may be the best player in the NBA with that skill set. He isn't just a scorer when initiating pick-and-roll plays; he's an adept playmaker for others. Leonard is able to use that threat to set up so much of how he attacks. The problem with facing the Spurs is they're so hard to game plan against. Most teams have those one or two guys you can focus on and then funnel the ball toward lesser role players. The Spurs don't fall under that umbrella despite having those guys. The unselfishness of their stars within the system makes every action on the court a potential mismatch for opponents. This is where Leonard shines the most for the Spurs.
