Kobe Bryant is still the game's best player.

I made my list.

Checked it twice

Now you’re going to find out.

The NBA players I think are oh so nice.

These guys are why I love the game of basketball. Here are my 10 favorite players in the league right now.

These are the guys if I had the money to buy NBA authentic jerseys instead of the replicas, these guys would be on my wish list. They not only provide the highlights, but you have to keep your eyes on them every play because the moment you go to grab a slice of pizza, they’ve done something you may never see again.

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Dwight Howard, left, will flex his muscle in State Farm Arena when Orlando plays Houston in an NBA preseason game Oct. 5. The 2010 D-League champs, Rio Grande Valley, play there.

The Orlando Magic and Houston Rockets play a preseason game Oct. 5 at State Farm Arena in Hidalgo, TX.

That’s where the defending D-League champions, the Rio Grande Valley Vipers, play their home games.

It’s a $20-million facility, folks, so the game isn’t being played in a hole-in-the wall.

This will be Houston’s first preseason game heading into the 2010-11 season.

Hidalgo is 371 miles from Houston. Wonder how the Rockets are going to get there? I suggest taking a caravan and stop at every small town en route and do surprise appearances.

The nearest airport to Hidalgo is McAllen International Airport.

The town has between 100,000 and 200,000 people so you know the airport is rather small, but it actually has a direct flight to and from Orlando.

The airport does take private jets, but if the Magic want to fly commercial and save some coins, it’s $160 round trip. . Just throwing it out there Orlando. And the airport offers a round trip flight for Las Vegas $100 for those who want to pull a Dennis Rodman.

Wonder the Cleveland Cavaliers will play a preseason game at Tullio Arena?

Until it’s renovated, I seriously doubt it.

Instead of NYC, columnist Sam Smith believes LeBron may join Kobe Bryant in L.A.

With the Cleveland Cavaliers playing at the New York Knicks in Madison Square Garden tonight on ESPN (8 p.m.), it gives reason to discuss the possibility of LeBron James playing for the Knicks or the New Jersey Nets after this season.

James will be an unrestricted free agent after this season. Just for argument sake, check out Sam Smith’s column on the idea that James may head to Los Angeles to join Kobe Bryant and the Lakers.

Now, the question isn’t will or will he not go. It’s more of should he go.

My take?

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