Here’s Who Skip Bayless Says is the Best Basketball Player Alive
The prestigious title of who is the best player in the NBA is one juggled around every year with a handful of players truly vying for that honor. Granted, it’s something that is simply a matter of opinion, but it does garner much respect from their peers that hold them in greater reverence. That said, it’s often a media talking point that drives the conversation around the league throughout the year. With that in mind, longtime commentator and former sports columnist Skip Bayless has pinpointed player that he believes is the unquestioned best talent in the league.
Who’s vying for the best player title?
The MVP award each season isn’t a surefire indicator of who is the best talent. At the same time, it gives insight to who is believed to be among the elite talent in the league.
Over the last several years, LeBron James has rested atop of conversation for that title. However, there have been a few other players such as Giannis Antetokounmpo, Kawhi Leonard, Kevin Durant, and James Harden that have all made strong cases. The fact that James is still in the conversation despite being in his 17th year in the league speaks to his tremendous talent and work ethic, but it’s an honor that looks to be up in the air.
Several talented players have taken their game to the next level, such as Harden, Leonard, and Antetokounmpo, over the last couple of seasons. It has made choosing one of these players more than a reasonable choice due to their impact on the game.
Even with that being the case, Bayless has a clear-cut choice for who he believes is the best talent in the league.
Skip Bayless’ choice for best NBA player
One of the most prominent media members over the last several years has been Bayless, who has transitioned over to FS1’s Undisputed, which he has daily discussed the NBA, among other various sports.
He has remained quite vocal about who he believes is the best talent in the league over the years, but he has now honed in on Kevin Durant holding that mantel. Bayless was quick to point out that Durant is on the shelf for likely the entire 2019-20 season, but does believe that when healthy, he’s the best in the NBA.
Before his Achilles injury, Durant had been on a tear over the past three seasons with the Golden State Warriors taking his game to the next level. He had established himself as an elite scorer but became a better all-around player during his time in Golden State. He had earned back-to-back NBA Finals MVP awards that saw him get the best of LeBron James in each instance.
Meanwhile, Durant had been on a tear in the playoffs averaging 32.3 points on 51.4% shooting from the floor and 43.8% from 3-point range. That had seen him pour in seven 30-point games, including two north of 45 points. Bayless may spew some nonsense in many other instances, but Durant isn’t a puzzling choice by any means.
Will Kevin Durant return to form?
Durant’s performance on the court over the last few years has earned the lofty praise that Bayless has spewed towards him.
Now the focus is on whether Durant can return to the level he once was at before suffering the potential-career altering ailment. It’s one that has often made it difficult for players to recapture their previous level of play and, more importantly, stay healthy for the long haul.
There is no question that Durant can play at a high level once he returns at some point in 2020, but it will test him physically more than any time previously in his career. Ultimately, if he can perform at the level that many have become accustomed to seeing, than Bayless still be on point with his assessment.
