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The NBA and, more importantly, the LA Clippers will be without one of the league's best players for the majority of this season as Kawhi Leonard recovers from an ACL injury that thwarted his chances at a third title in June.
There had been concerns that he could decline his player option and hit the free agency market, which would have had teams around the league ripping up their plans to sign him. However, Leonard has chosen to stay with the Clippers, who will be title contenders for years to come with both him and Paul George leading the side.
Kawhi Leonard's most memorable moments in the NBA
Ten years after being picked 15th overall in the Draft, Kawhi Leonard is now one of the finest two-way players the game has ever seen. Not only is he inherently consistent on offense, he is also a monster on the boards and can lock up his opponents defensively. Before he was 28, Leonard had already won two NBA Championships, two Finals MVP awards and multiple Defensive accolades.
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In this article, we will look at the five most memorable moments so far for Kawhi Leonard from a career that is already Hall-of-Fame worthy.
#5 Being drafted 15th in 2011
It's staggering to think that Kawhi Leonard fell to 15th in the 2011 NBA Draft behind the likes of Derrick Williams, Bismack Biyombo and Brandon Knight. With hindsight, it is even more unbelievable that the Indiana Pacers would then trade Leonard on draft night for George Hill from the San Antonio Spurs and use him as a sixth man the following season.
The 2011 Draft was stacked with talent, though. Jimmy Butler fell as low as 30th overall while Klay Thompson was picked outside the top 10. Kyrie Irving was selected first overall by the Cleveland Cavaliers. Leonard, however, has gone on to eclipse the success of any other player selected that night with considerably more individual accolades than Thompson despite having one less ring.
#4 Becoming a top-ten paid NBA player
Having signed a new four-year deal with the LA Clippers, Kawhi Leonard will be among the top ten paid stars in the NBA. The $39.3m that he will earn this season puts him eighth overall alongside Giannis Antetokounmpo and Damian Lillard.
While this is obviously a huge deal for any player, it is especially timely for Leonard, who has been underpaid his entire career up until now. Through his entry-level contract with the Spurs, Leonard earned on average just $2m a year. Meanwhile, he helped the franchise to two NBA Finals, won one NBA Finals MVP award and was voted into the second All-Defensive team in 2014.
His maximum rookie extension only provided him with an average of $18.8m a year despite winning another NBA Championship and Finals MVP, earning multiple All-Star appearances, All-Defensive team nominations and two Defensive Player of the Year awards.
It is about time Kawhi Leonard got paid sufficiently for what he provides on both ends of the court and it was a no-brainer for the LA Clippers to offer him a new deal this summer.
Without Leonard, the Clippers would've been unable to sign anybody else due to cap restrictions and would automatically fall off as title contenders. It will no doubt be a win-win for both parties.
Also Read: What is Kawhi Leonard’s Current Contract?
#3 Becoming the third-youngest NBA Finals MVP
Magic Johnson holds the top two spots for the youngest player to win an NBA Finals MVP trophy, having done so twice before his 23rd birthday. But Kawhi Leonard also did so while still 22 playing for the San Antonio Spurs.
Despite facing the Miami Heat's fearsome trio of LeBron James, Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh, the Spurs had too much for their opponents and dominated the boards while shooting at 52% from the field and 46% from deep.
In a contest that was over in just five games, Kawhi Leonard walked away as the Finals MVP. Averaging 17.8 points, 6.4 rebounds and 1.6 steals per game, the small forward had a solid series. However, it was his shooting that set him apart from the rest of the Spurs roster, connecting with 61% of field-goal efforts and 58% of threes.
It is no surprise he has developed a reputation over the years for being one of the most efficient scorers in the league.
#2 Leading the Toronto Raptors to their first NBA Championship
Masai Ujiri and the Toronto Raptors front office risked a lot in 2018 when they traded the nine-year franchise veteran and fan-favorite DeMar DeRozan for Kawhi Leonard. However, Leonard would immediately repay the favor that season by leading the organization to its first ever NBA championship and his second NBA Finals MVP award.
Leonard was unstoppable in the playoffs, averaging over 30 points a night, 9.1 rebounds and 1.7 steals while shooting at 49% from the field. Not only did he score the miraculous game-winner against the Philadelphia 76ers in the Conference Semifinals, but he also helped the Raptors de-throne the treble-chasing Golden State Warriors.
#1 Game 7 buzzer-beater vs Philadelphia 76ers
Buzzer-beating shots are among the finest moments in basketball, especially when they come in the playoffs. It's one thing to make the shot on the biggest stage, but it is another to do so while simultaneously sending your opponent packing as Kawhi Leonard did in 2019.
It was the conference semifinals, and the second-seeded Raptors faced the third-seeded Philadelphia 76ers who had a star-studded lineup of Joel Embiid, Tobias Harris, Jimmy Butler, Ben Simmons and JJ Redick.
None of the Sixers stars came close to Kawhi Leonard, though, in the thrilling seven-game series. He had two 40+ point nights in the first and last games and averaged 34.7 points, 9.9 rebounds and four assists throughout.
It was in a tightly-fought game seven when Kawhi Leonard made the shot that has defined his career and will go down as one of the greatest NBA playoff moments in history.
With just over four seconds left and the score tied, Leonard received an inbound pass, dribbled the ball all the way over toward his own bench before letting a tough, long-range two fly over the excellent defense of Joel Embiid. The ball bounced around the rim, with the arena falling into silence, before eventually dropping in and giving the Raptors the series win.
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