SI's Top 100 players 2015-16

[SuperCam]

You don't know how to count or what?
Most comments were positive, about his absence and the Spurs record last season, how important he's on the team, the comparison between his stats and other players as the reason why he ranks higher...
Stop lying eater.

Those were spurs fans you kiwi .


ing the top comment expressing disbelief kawhi was on the list had over 100 likes

[SuperCam]

I'll admit reddit is filled with gots who banned me after I called curry a twink boi last year, but 100+ likes don't lie

[FkLA]

[YGWHI]

Those were spurs fans you kiwi .

ing the top comment expressing disbelief kawhi was on the list had over 100 likes

So you say only Spurs' fans praise Kawhi game?.

That's why "No way in Duncan is 11" had 158 likes/points? Only Spurs fans like him too?

A lot of positive comments there, neither, Tim nor Kawhi, "getting "

Better find other way .

[timtonymanu]

[YGWHI]

Cats

[YGWHI]

Kawhi Leonard, SA

The Defensive Player of the Year was first in defensive rating, and among the leaders in defensive win shares and defensive box score plus/minus. Leonard’s athleticism allowed him to switch on screens at a rate 69.0% higher than the league average. He forced turnovers at a rate 80.0% higher than the league average (and 30.9% higher than Draymond Green). He was second in the NBA in steals percentage, highlighted by deflecting passes at more than twice the league average. He also denied passes to at a rate 88.0% higher than the league

Yep. Only Spurs fans praise Kawhi game.

[SPURt]

I'll admit reddit is filled with gots who banned me after I called curry a twink boi last year, but 100+ likes don't lie

Wow! It does sound like they're the problem!

[ceperez]

Spurs have 4 starters in top 50 and one in top 50-100.

Warriors have similarly 4 players in top 50 and one in top 100. Am I right here?

[dabom]

i saw him post on his main to look like he still uses it.

[apalisoc_9]

i saw him post on his main to look like he still uses it.

[Brazil]

DG and BD for Shumpert is better trade than Beal and Ariza for KL

[LittleCriminal]

"Duncan was simultaneously in the mix with today’s greats, regardless of age, and history’s all-time greats at his age."
Fukkin Awesome when you think about it..

[SPURt]

KAwhi Leonard #10 on the list

The inclusion of Spurs forward Kawhi Leonard in the top 10 might strike some as overly generous, especially because it comes at the expense of more established names, including two of his teammates. After all, Leonard is the only member of the top 15 without an All-Star selection to his name, he’s the only member of the top 12 without an All-NBA selection, he’s the only member of the top 15 that has never played at least 67 games in a season. His 16.5 points per game scoring average ranked just 35th league-wide last season, barely topping a role player like J.J. Re .


Yes, there is some projecting happening here. That should be the least surprising admission of all time. Leonard has a Finals MVP award, a championship, a Defensive Player of the Year award and a five-year, $90 million maximum contract to his name at the ripe old age of 24. He’s steadily improved his scoring, rebounding and assist numbers in each of his four seasons. Last year, he averaged just 31.8 minutes a game; at the same age, LeBron James was logging 40.4 minutes, while Kevin Durant was playing 38.6. Betting on Leonard’s future improvement requires zero risk and concluding that he’s more valuable than his per-game stats requires minimal brainpower. By now, the world should be fully aware of his virtues on defense: he is versatile, long, strong and quick, plus he has excellent feet, hands, instincts and focus. Last season, San Antonio’s defensive rating improved from 102.2 when he was off the court to 97.1 when he was on it, and his +4.59 Defensive Real Plus-Minus ranked third overall in the NBA. Leonard has already passed high-pressure tests with flying colors—winning series against both James and Durant in the playoffs—and he’s helped the Spurs to top-five defensive efficiency rankings for three consecutive seasons. Leonard is probably the most coveted under-25 player not named Anthony Davis.
The offensive growth he displayed down the stretch last year is most intriguing of all. As noted back in April, Leonard doesn’t have his own signature skill so much as he excels at making star-type plays in a variety of different ways. He can grab a defensive rebound and take off for down the court, he can finish plays above the rim in transition, he can knock down catch-and-shoot jumpers, he can pound defenders in the post, he can hit a face-up jumper in isolation, and he’s proficient in simple pick-and-roll plays. While it’s accurate to say that Leonard’s offensive game is still a work in progress, it’s more accurate to say that he’s showing clear progress in numerous areas of his offensive game, and there’s more to come. His impact numbers are strong on the offensive end, too, by the way: San Antonio’s offensive efficiency improved by 5.9 points with him on the court.
Deciding the order in which to rank Leonard, Duncan and Aldridge was not easy, and in the end the youngest of the three Spurs frontcourt stars won out because he seems to have the surest short-term future. Unlike Duncan, he isn’t facing age-related decline or the possibility of limited minutes. Unlike Aldridge, he isn’t transitioning to a new franchise or adjusting to a new role. Regardless of how the shot-taking pecking order shakes out, Leonard will be bringing A-list defense and making contributions all over the court. Plus, he has the full support of San Antonio’s old guard: Tony Parker, for example, said that Leonard wastransitioning into becoming “The Man,”while Duncan symbolically presented Leonard with his Defensive Player of the Year trophy.
The torch wasn’t officially, indisputably passed in 2014-15, as Leonard faded during the Spurs’ first-round loss to the Clippers. As L.A. stormed back in the series to take Games 6 and 7, Leonard’s shot abandoned him, his assertiveness seemed to wane, and he wasn’t able to exert the alpha scorer influence that coach Gregg Popovich seemed to be requesting in must-score situations. While the media-averse Leonard is hardly the type to issue grand pronouncements about how he plans to draw motivation from those experiences, his track record suggests that he’s unlikely to make the same mistake twice. Leonard is coming back better, and potentially a lot better, in 2016. You’ve been warned. – B.G.

2014-15: 18.7 PPG, 8.2 RPG, 2.6 SPG, 47.9 FG%, 34.9 3P%
Advanced: 22.0 PER, Win Shares: 8.6, +7.57 RPM

[SupremeGuy]

SI taking a on the short bus.

[dabom]

SI taking a on the short bus.

[K...]

As L.A. stormed back in the series to take Games 6 and 7, Leonard’s shot abandoned him, his assertiveness seemed to wane, and he wasn’t able to exert the alpha scorer influence that coach Gregg Popovich seemed to be requesting in must-score situations.



Couldn't have said it better.

[dabom]

As L.A. stormed back in the series to take Games 6 and 7, Leonard’s shot abandoned him, his assertiveness seemed to wane, and he wasn’t able to exert the alpha scorer influence that coach Gregg Popovich seemed to be requesting in must-score situations.



Couldn't have said it better.

I guess he's a top 10 player then right?

[TheGreatYacht]

SI taking a on the short bus.

Putting believability into a magazine that crowned the 2013 Lakers as a Dynasty

"Meet the new kings of the West..."

"Now THIS is going to be FUN!"

Short bus

[DarrinS]

As L.A. stormed back in the series to take Games 6 and 7, Leonard’s shot abandoned him, his assertiveness seemed to wane, and he wasn’t able to exert the alpha scorer influence that coach Gregg Popovich seemed to be requesting in must-score situations.

His shot didn't abandon him. He was physically shut down by Matt Barnes.




Just like TP had Barnes on "lock down" mode for most of the series.

[SuperCam]

Outside fans continue to rip SI kiwi rankings:

Really don't like Kawhi in the top 10.

80 likes

Agree, I'd take any of Wall, Cousins, LMA, or Melo over him. If PG recovers to his prior level of play I'd take him too.

40 likes

Kawhi leonard is not a top 10 player.

Gasol and kawhi are the only players in top 10 who get no hate for disappearing in big games and moments. i see no hate for them when they disappear in playoff games. Their good performances are the only way to judge them. Bad performances don't matter.

truth

I think Kawhi gets too much credit for his hardware, he probably wouldn't have a championship on any other team. Respect for the DPOY year award, but the FMVP is just a "Thanks for guarding LeBron, we won!" trophy.

So true

[DarrinS]

Lol people digging thru comments section for confirmation bias

[Spurtacular]

Agree, I'd take any of Wall, Cousins, LMA, or Melo over him. If PG recovers to his prior level of play I'd take him too.

Shows how stupid the average NBA fans are.

[YGWHI]

Gasol and kawhi are the only players in top 10 who get no hate for disappearing in big games and moments. i see no hate for them when they disappear in playoff games. Their good performances are the only way to judge them. Bad performances don't matter

Thanks for posting, I just read and...love it.
It's unbelievable that in such a short time Kawhi has reached that level of appreciation, when media and fans past/forget your bad games and only can remember the good...damn.

[YGWHI]

As L.A. stormed back in the series to take Games 6 and 7, Leonard’s shot abandoned him, his assertiveness seemed to wane, and he wasn’t able to exert the alpha scorer influence that coach Gregg Popovich seemed to be requesting in must-score situations. While the media-averse Leonard is hardly the type to issue grand pronouncements about how he plans to draw motivation from those experiences, his track record suggests that he’s unlikely to make the same mistake twice. Leonard is coming back better, and potentially a lot better, in 2016. You’ve been warned

Couldn't have said it better.

Agreed. Can't wait to watch him play, he's getting better every season.