5. Dwyane Wade – What a way to follow a major letdown of a 2007-2008 season. Wade bounced back as hard as anyone, leading the league in scoring (30.2), to go with 7.5 assists, 5.0 rebounds, and 2.2 steals per game.
His turnovers were a bit high, but no one’s complaining. Wade definitely won his team far more games than they would have won without him.
4. Dwight Howard – Superman has assumed the role that Kevin Garnett occupied about 5-10 years ago. A dominant big man with a build that allows him to move as quickly as a small forward does. While he shoots free throws like Shaq, he’s improving in this department.
Having brought his team to the NBA finals, Howard’s talent speaks volumes. The league’s best rebounder and shot blocker will improve all facets of his game during the next few years. That’s just scary.
3. Chris Paul – Easily the best point guard in the NBA, and will be considered one of the game’s all-time greats by the end of his career. While his team struggled a bit last season, short of David West, there’s probably less talent on that team after these two than there is on any team in the NBA. Paul’s assists, steals, rebounds, and points all speak for themselves. Arguably the best ball handler in the NBA too.
2. Kobe Bryant – Yes, he’s still more clutch than LeBron and a smart enough player to accomplish as much as anyone else on the court, but at 30 years old, Kobe Bryant will gradually begin to decline a bit.
I might get criticized for putting Kobe over LeBron for this reason, but let’s think about something. If Kobe was traded to the Cavs and LeBron went to the Lakers, which team would be stronger? Would Cleveland win a championship? No way, and I believe that this says it all about these two.
1. LeBron James – The new and future king of the NBA. Sure, he hasn’t won a championship and some may be critical of his spotty clutch factor, but you can’t argue the numbers and what he did for his team last season. 28.4 ppg, 7.6 rebounds, and 7.3 assists. 1.7 steals, and 1.2 blocks. 49% from the field. A 66-16 record. It all adds up to the league’s most valuable player.
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