The best player in the NBA topic is the subject of much debate amongst the media and fans, especially at the All-Star break when there are no games for a week. 

Shai Gilgeous-Alexander is the reigning MVP and Finals MVP, and once again playing at a high level as he leads the Oklahoma City Thunder to the best record in the Western Conference. 

Nikola Jokic, the three-time MVP and runner-up in two other seasons, always has a claim considering his overall offensive numbers and how he drives the Denver Nuggets. 

On any given week, any other player could toss their name into the hat and claim to be the best in the world. 

Enter Kawhi Leonard. 

During All-Star Weekend, Kawhi spoke to the media and was asked if he is the best player in the league when he's healthy. 

“That’s for you guys. For me, I think it’s a rotation every day, every week. You get guys scoring 50, having great defensive games. The next night, somebody else is not playing well and somebody else is going to shine. I feel like I’m one of the best when I am playing basketball," he said. 

Kawhi said the ranking is based on keeping the hype around the game. 

Kawhi certainly showed why he is one of the best players in the league in the All-Star Game, putting on the best single-game performance of any player during the new round robin format. 

Leading the USA Stripes against The World, the Clippers star put on a show for the home crowd at the Intuit Dome, scoring 31 points in 12 minutes. 

Kawhi shot 11-13 from the field, 6-7 from three, and had a highlight steal to intercept a pass meant for Victor Wembanyama, turning it into a dunk. 

He also hit what turned out to be the game-winning three-pointer in the closing seconds of the game. 

Even when LeBron James, Steph Curry, and Kevin Durant were at the peak of their powers, Kawhi always managed to insert himself into the conversation of Best in the World thanks to his brilliant two-way play. 

Injuries have taken him out of the conversation in recent years, but he's had a resurgence this season. He's averaging a career high 27.9 points with an effective field goal percentage of 55%. He's also averaging 2.1 steals per game, his second-highest total since 2014-15 when he was in San Antonio and won Defensive Player of the Year. 

He's helped pull the Clippers out of a 6-21 hole, to where they currently sit at 26-28. In his last game before the break, he hit the game-winner against the Houston Rockets, giving fans something to remember as basketball pauses.