LeBron praises Thunder GM Sam Presti: 'He's the MVP'

Los Angeles Lakers superstar LeBron James is known as a fan of the game beyond his own team and often references moments across the league that catch his attention.

However, rather than highlight his teammates during his All-Star media availability, James chose to praise Oklahoma City Thunder general manager Sam Presti.

"The MVP over there (in OKC) is Sam Presti. He's the MVP," James told reporters, including The Washington Post's Ben Golliver. "I don't understand this guy's eye for talent."

The 37-year-old then went on to list some of the talented players Presti has drafted throughout his 15-year tenure running the Thunder and Seattle SuperSonics.

"He drafted (Kevin Durant), Russ (Westbrook), Serge Ibaka, Reggie Jackson, Josh Giddey, and the list goes on, and on, and on."

James squared off against Presti's OKC side in the 2012 NBA Finals - a team that featured Durant, Westbrook, Jackson, Ibaka, and Philadelphia 76ers star James Harden.

The Miami Heat pulled away with a 4-1 series victory, and James took home his first of four Finals Most Valuable Player awards.

The 18-40 Thunder are in the midst of a major rebuild, as all of the core pieces from the 2012 runner-up squad have left the franchise.

However, with Presti at the helm and an endorsement from one of the game's greats backing him, OKC is just a couple of talented draft picks away from contention once again.