Kawhi Leonard is a cyborg from the future and he’s out to prove to everyone that he is the best basketball player in the NBA. Leonard is coming for the throne that Lebron James has sat on for the last decade. On the court, he is a ruthless player that doesn’t show any emotion when he is destroying his opposition.

Before the season started, Leonard pulled a power move and shocked the basketball world by joining the Los Angeles Clippers during free agency. He also convinced Paul George to join him. This moved pulled the rug out from underneath the Lakers and put them into scramble mode. The Lakers thought they were going to form a super team with Leonard, James, and Anthony Davis. Leonard’s decision to not sign with the Lakers showed the type of mentality he had: he wanted to beat the best, not team up with them.

Coming into this season, Leonard debuted his New Balance commercial that proclaimed him the King of LA. This commercial dropped during the Clippers’ first game against the Los Angeles Lakers this season. One particular part of the commercial caught viewers’ eyes. This was when Leonard’s crown keychain was shown. Everyone took this as him throwing a subtle jab at James. After watching the commercial, it was clear what Leonard’s intention was for this season. He was going to try and take the throne away from James.

The Clippers have played the Lakers two times this season. In the first matchup, the Clippers won. In that game, Leonard scored 30 points with six rebounds and five assists. James scored 18 points with 10 rebounds and eight assists. This game was the first of the season and Leonard’s team sent a message right out of the gate. Clippers played without Paul George in that game and Leonard took it upon himself to prove to everyone that he is the new King of LA.

Everyone was eager for the Clippers and Lakers to match up again this season. They happened to do so on Christmas day. This was another opportunity for Leonard and his team to prove who the best team in Los Angeles is. In that game, the Clippers came out on top once again. In the highly publicized Christmas day game, Leonard scored 35 points with 12 rebounds and five assists. James scored 23 points with nine rebounds and 10 assists. With two more head to head matchups left against each other, Leonard will be looking to make another statement.

Everything that Leonard has done this season has shown everyone that he is coming for the number one spot in the basketball hierarchy. The Los Angeles Clippers have been getting little wins against the Lakers all throughout the season. During the trade deadline, the Clippers got Marcus Morris, who the Lakers also wanted. At the moment, Leonard’s team is fully stacked and they have a better team overall, compared to the Lakers.

In the All-Star game, Leonard proved his dominance once more, even though it was an exhibition game against the best players in the NBA. He scored 30 points and made eight three-pointers. His play earned him the first-ever Kobe Bryant All-Star Game MVP Award. It was fitting that he won the award because he and Kobe had become very close. Leonard has the same Mamba mentality that Kobe showcased on a nightly basis.

Going into the second half of the season, Leonard and the Clippers will be trying to improve their seeding in the western conference playoff race. In the playoffs, Leonard has shown that he takes his game to another level, and this season will be no different. Last season, Leonard was the first player to win Finals MVP in both conferences. If he wins Finals MVP this season, he will be the first player to win the award for three different teams.

Leonard is a very quiet player, but his game on the court is very loud and it stands out.