To achieve in basketball means rising past any and all adversity faced. Kawhi Leonard (2) represents this mentality to its finest degree. Despite the journey taken to reach his current stardom in the league, revisionist culture brought about by recency bias and the debate of load management discredit him. Kawhi Leonard, even without his silverware, should stand objectively in the top 10 National Basketball Association (NBA) players ever.
Leonard’s trek to the league held its own tribulations, even past injuries and losses. He grew up in Los Angeles, California, with his parents, Mark and Kim Leonard. Leonard juggled working at his father’s car wash to help with house bills, along with his education at Canyon Springs High School and playing for the basketball team. When Leonard was 17, someone shot and killed his father the day of a basketball game, with the murder still unsolved. Rather than sit out of the game, Leonard bore through the pain and played through, breaking down when the game ended.
In his two seasons at San Diego State University, Leonard impressed NBA scouts with his high motor paired with his oversized hands and lengthy wingspan. During the 2011 NBA draft, the Indiana Pacers picked Leonard 15th overall, but chose to trade him away to the San Antonio Spurs for George Hill (7). Halfway through his rookie season, Leonard clinched the starting small forward position for the Spurs and established his worth as a franchise cornerstone.
Only 3 years into the league, Leonard won the NBA finals over the Miami Heat, along with Finals Most Valuable Player (FMVP). To further emphasize the astonishing nature of this feat, Leonard only appeared in the All-NBA defensive second team and did not receive any MVP votes. Leonard’s defense against LeBron James (23) throughout the series garnered respect and awe from any NBA fan who watched the film.
“The Spurs seriously had a chance to keep their dynasty alive for decades. Kawhi’s defense on Lebron was suffocating, and he scored like nobody could stop him for the entire series. I do not understand why they wouldn’t give him the chance he needed to recover in time,” Senior Bobocaur Nijie said.
Following a franchise meltdown, Leonard found himself traded to the Toronto Raptors. In his only season, Leonard led the team into the playoffs despite facing a stacked Eastern Conference. Against the Philadelphia 76ers, he scored the only game seven buzzer-beater in playoff history to help the Raptors advance. Against the Kevin Durant (7) led Golden State Warriors, Leonard stepped his game up to close out the series, becoming one of three NBA players to win FMVP on multiple teams.
“Kawhi’s run to the NBA finals with the Raptors is something we might not ever see again. Not only did he hit the game-winner on the 76ers, but he also hit the rim 4 times before it got in the rim. Even though the Warriors didn’t have Durant, he still went against a solid Warriors team and managed to win the championship,” HHS senior Joshua Jacobs said.
Despite what his legacy displays, the true conflict comes from Leonard’s load management issues. His decision to take numerous games off to extend his recovery even led to his departure from the Spurs. NBA players play the game primarily to win, not to bring in ticket sales. Leonard’s choice to take further time to recover should garner respect rather than unwarranted hate, as he only wished to extend the time on his career’s clock.
For some, Leonard’s legacy feels incomplete, as his injury woes hindered the peak of one of the 2010s’ memorable players. Fans need to recognize that, beyond what his health could manage, Leonard reached past what the league could expect out of a quiet rookie from a small college. The Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame should prepare an orange jacket in his name before he decides to hang up those shoes.
