NBA Execs And Scouts Name Giannis Antetokounmpo, Kevin Durant Best NBA Players Over LeBron James

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The 2021/22 NBA season can bring a lot of changes to the league. We already saw how things could take an unexpected routed this past playoff when some favorites were eliminated, and the Milwaukee Bucks took home the Larry O'Brien trophy. 

This development somehow changed the picture around the league, putting Giannis Antetokounmpo as one of the top dogs in the association after a magical playoff run. For instance, the Greek Freak was selected as the best player in the league entering this upcoming season. 

Although he is tied with Kevin Durant (5 votes each), Giannis really turned things around with his incredible performances a couple of months ago. 

Tim Bontemps of ESPN conducted a poll with 10 NBA executives and scouts to predict what could happen in the league next season. 

Here's what a panel of 10 NBA scouts and executives had to say about what has transpired over the past few weeks and what it all means for the 2021-22 campaign.

Who is the best player in the NBA heading into the 2021-22 season?

T1. Giannis Antetokounmpo: 5 votes

T1. Kevin Durant: 5

Bontemps explains that Giannis' magical title run was sensational, and these people put the 26-year-old atop their ranking alongside the Brooklyn Nets superstar. 

After Antetokounmpo powered the Bucks to an NBA title and Durant -- following his incredible performance against Milwaukee in the Eastern Conference semifinals -- led Team USA to a fourth straight gold medal in the Tokyo Olympics, the two of them split the voting for the honor of the league's top player going into next season.

For those who backed Antetokounmpo, the reasoning was obvious: the way he guided Milwaukee through the playoffs and to the franchise's first title in 50 years.

Moreover, KD's performances also confirmed that he returned at the highest level following an ACL injury during the 2019 NBA Finals. Even though Giannis defeated him in the second round of the postseason, Durant demonstrated that he's still the man. 

In addition to Durant's overall offensive dominance, several of those who ultimately picked the Brooklyn Nets superstar said the difference came down to him not having the same kind of obvious flaw in his game as compared to Antetokounmpo's ongoing battle at the free throw line.

LeBron James was the third name mentioned in these polls, but The King didn't receive any votes, succumbing to the Eastern Conference stars. 

The only other name even mentioned by those polled was James, though he ultimately didn't receive any votes. It was clear all three stars were on a level unto themselves at this point.

Every year, LeBron gets overlooked somehow. Yes, he's aging, and his body won't be the same it was before, but this man can always find a way to be relevant and make his team relevant. 

Giannis and Durant have definitely earned their stripes, but this might fuel that competitiveness inside the Los Angeles Lakers superstar. Every offseason, the same thing happens, and we're not sure when James will stop proving doubters wrong.