Paul George is more than a year removed from his leg injury in 2014 during a Team USA scrimmage and is confident he's all the way back physically.

“Honestly, I feel like I’m better than the Paul George I was (before),” George told USA TODAY Sports. “I do understand that I’m coming back as a fresh new player, with a new team, but I’m not limiting myself. I still have the aspiration of being the MVP, still have the aspiration of being one of the best defenders, one of the best scorers in the league. All of that is still there. But now I just feel like I’m much … wiser. I’m a better ballhandler, a better playmaker. I just feel like everything is just enhanced having a year out from the game."

George believes he can become the NBA's best player this season.

“Myself,” he said when asked which player enters this season as the best. “I honestly feel that this is my time to prove it. There’s always going to be people’s opinions. There’s always going to be people thinking otherwise. But this is my time to prove it, and I’m ready. I’m ready to show the world.”

One day before he got hurt in 2014, George, Kevin Durant and James Harden took turns in one-on-one battles that are rarely seen at that level.

“(The injury) really made me put everything in perspective, that this game can be gone at any second,” George said. “I had to look at the reality of it, that I’ve got to enjoy it. Enjoy this ride, enjoy this journey. It made me change the way I look at a lot of things. I’m much more happy.

“I’m loving the position that I’m in and where I’ve been blessed to be. I just see things in a different light now being away from the game for a year.”