Kawhi Leonard issues rare self-assessment after dominant All-Star performance

Kawhi Leonard has been one of the better stories in the NBA this season. 

The Los Angeles Clippers were in a rough spot early, sitting at 6-21 and looking like a lost cause. Since then, they've gone 20-7, climbing to 10th in the West standings. A lot of that turnaround runs through Leonard.

The 2026 NBA All-Star Weekend gave him another stage. The USA Stars won the mini-tournament title on Sunday, with Anthony Edwards taking MVP honors. However, Leonard built his own case. The award went elsewhere, but that is a small footnote on what has been a bigger story.

Kawhi Leonard is confident in his abilities on the court

After the game, Leonard got candid in a way he rarely does. A reporter asked if he feels like the best player in the league, and he did not dodge it.

"It's where you guys are, for me, I think it's rotation, every day, every week, because you get guys coming out, scoring 50, having great defensive games, and then the next night, somebody's not playing well, somebody else is gonna shine. So, for me, I think, the ranking is just based on keeping the hype around the game.

"But yeah, I feel like I'm one of the best when I am playing basketball."