On opening night for the NBA, the Clippers and the Lakers faced off in the Staples Center for a battle of LA. This meant that the two teams with the best odds to win the title were going to be going at it, pitting LeBron and Anthony Davis against Kawhi Leonard. Paul George was out after going through shoulder surgery, so it really was about Kawhi that night, and he did not disappoint, as he finished the night with 30 points, 6 rebounds, and 5 assists in just under 32 minutes of play.
During a commercial break, however, we saw a commercial air that showed Kawhi presenting his new shoe with New Balance. During this commercial, he called Los Angeles “Kawhitown” and also stated the he “is the king of LA now.” These are very obvious shots at LeBron, as LeBron has called himself “The King” for most of his career.
So the question is there, now we have to try and figure out the answer. Is Kawhi really the king of LA now?
LeBron is a freak of nature, we all know this, whether you like him or not. He’s 6’8″, 250 pounds of pure muscle and has been playing at MVP level for 16 full years, now entering his 17th. He was the consensus #1 overall pick in the most loaded draft class in NBA history, and has somehow managed to surpass his expectations going into that draft.
Kawhi has obviously surpassed any expectations that he had going into his draft year as well, as he was taken 15th overall and has turned into an MVP candidate. He is the best 2-way player in the league today and is definitely a top-5 player currently. Is he the best player in the league? That’s a topic for another article, but there is definitely a case for it at least.
But, if we are going to be honest here, this is going to be LeBron’s town for the next couple of years. He’s still one of the best players in the league and it looks like he has the top chance to win the title come next Spring.
It will eventually be Kawhitown in LA, but not yet. He’s still not loved by a lot of the city and will need some warming up to Los Angeles.
I like the confidence, though, Kawhi.
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