The best basketball players of 2009

It ends the year and it's time to numbers and cabals, in summary form, of what it has given this 2009. It was a very important year for many athletes, including the best players in basketball.

Sure, the first thing to pay tribute is to Kobe Bryant, who with each passing year is better. It is clear that he has the athletic ability he had when he entered the NBA 12 years ago, but has adapted well and is the soul of Los Angeles Lakers, along with another great player, our countryman Pau Gasol, concluding a year that hardly forget.

The year began with the All Star of Phoenix, in which Pau Gasol had 14 points and 8 rebounds in just 14 minutes. Pity we did not play more. After that came the playoffs and Pau Gasol became the first Spanish player to win the ring. Not content with just that in September the Spanish team played in the EuroBasket in Poland 2009, getting the gold medal and being named MVP.

LeBron James, after six seasons in the NBA, won the MVP, although he could not play the NBA Finals to be dismounted in the way for Orlando Magic.

Chris Paul is, nowadays, the best NBA guard, with permission of Steve Nash seems to have rejuvenated a few years. It's amazing how the Canadian is playing this season, just when it seemed that the end of an era for Phoenix Suns.

Nor can we forget the young and Kevin Durant, who is in the third year of his career and is third in points earned (28.1). This boy, Oklahoma Thunder, is set to become one of the leaders of the League.

And finally, I want to mention Ricky Rubio, a reference player in Spain, the best basis that is now the CBA and who just turned 19 years. If at the end of the 2008 Olympics took to the Spanish selection to the shoulders during this European Championship has shown how good he already is, and what can be (though critics blame is always very green facet of the shooter).