Gregg Popovich on Kawhi Leonard: 'Best player in the league'

Gregg Popovich, coach of the San Antonio Spurs, called superstar forward Kawhi Leonard "the best player in the league" after his team finished off the Memphis Grizzlies Thursday with a 103-96 victory in Game 6 of their first-round playoff series. Leonard & Co. will now face the Houston Rockets in the second round.

In recent months, Leonard has been universally acknowledged as the second-best two-way player in the sport behind LeBron James. After surpassing James as the No. 1 defensive player in the league, Leonard is now making a legitimate case for the best player in the league with his improved production on offense. During the six games against the Grizzlies, Leonard averaged 31.2 points, 6.0 rebounds and 3.8 assists while shooting an impeccable 54 percent from the field and 48 percent from three-point territory.

"We don't execute as well as Memphis did. We have a knack for hanging in 'cause things happen, and obviously Kawhi Leonard is, in my opinion, the best player in the league right now. He's the best two-way player, and does it all with such class, it's impressive," Popovich said after Thursday's victory, via CBS Sports.

Kawhi Leonard ensures Spurs avoid a Game 7

With 5:50 left in the fourth quarter, the Grizzlies led the Spurs 88-81 before Leonard decided to take over the game. The MVP candidate made six consecutive points to cut the deficit to a point before Patty Mills made a clutch three-pointer to give the Spurs a 92-90 advantage. When David Fizdale was asked to respond to Popovich's comments, the Grizzlies coach didn't agree or disagree with his senior counterpart.

"The thing that just makes him (Kawhi Leonard) different is I just don't know many possessions that he takes off because he plays both ends of the floor so well. And his conditioning is like nothing I've ever seen. I mean, the guy, he just keeps coming and keeps coming and keeps coming and he finds a way to make a play, a winning play, whether it's a steal, a block, a rebound, a drive, pass. He made plays tonight off the dribble. You know, he makes a good argument. I would say that about my own guy, too."

Kawhi Leonard averaged 25.5 points, 5.8 rebounds and 3.5 assists during his sixth season with the Spurs. Leonard, 25, has already won two Defensive Player of The Year honours and one NBA Finals MVP award. The Spurs and Rockets will commence their second-round series of the 2017 NBA Playoffs next week.