Los Angeles Lakers superstar LeBron James didn’t get much respect from NBA scouts and executives in a recent poll.
Instead, two other NBA superstars stole the thunder.
“Who is the best player in the NBA heading into the 2021-22 season?” ESPN’s Tim Bontemps wrote.
“T1. Giannis Antetokounmpo: 5 votes
“T1. Kevin Durant: 5”
There’s no denying that Antetokounmpo and Durant are two of the best players in the business.
Durant is an 11-time All-Star, four-time scoring champion and two-time NBA champion. In the 2020-21 season, he averaged 26.9 points, 7.1 rebounds and 5.6 assists per game.
Antetokounmpo, meanwhile, proved this past season that he is an all-time great. He led the Milwaukee Bucks to an NBA title and posted some outstanding numbers along the way. He averaged 28.1 points, 11.0 rebounds and 5.9 assists per game in the regular season.
“The only other name even mentioned by those polled was James, though he ultimately didn’t receive any votes,” Bontemps continued. “It was clear all three stars were on a level unto themselves at this point.”
It’s a little bit surprising that James didn’t receive any votes in the poll, but age is starting to become a factor for the superstar. At 36 years old, he’s arguably not playing at the level he used to.
However, the future Hall of Famer is still one of the best players in basketball, and he has very high hopes for the 2021-22 season. His Lakers are looking to secure another NBA title.
