When talking about the more dominant players in the league we also have to mention their counterparts. LeBron James has several of them, mostly all of whom are working to reach his pedestal of NBA champion.
The person who stood toe-to-toe with LeBron James in two NBA Finals series, held his own, and beat LeBron in one of them, is Kawhi Leonard. LeBron had no problem admitting that he considers Leonard to be his best defender on the the Open Run podcast:
Kawhi Leonard. Kawhi Leonard, he’s solid. He’s solid, solid at that end of the floor. He’s very, very solid. I like him. I like the kid.
When Leonard’s Spurs edged out LeBron’s Heat in five games in the 2014 Finals, Leonard was even named Finals MVP. Granted, it’s not as if he was single-handedly carrying the Spurs, and he certainly didn’t achieve the impossible task of shutting down LeBron James, but his fearless and wisely presence against LeBron was a central factor in the team’s success.
Leonard continues to come along offensively, making him even more of a true elite two-way player. His combination of size, length, strength, awareness and quickness makes him the most credible counter to LeBron right now, and we probably deserve to see them battle in another Finals in the future.
