Kawhi Leonard is an American professional NBA player who is currently free agent!
So let’s dive into some trivia and facts about the famous NBA player!
- His full name is Kawhi Anthony Leonard
- He was born in June 29, 1991
- He is an American professional basketball who is currently a free agent
- Leonard played two seasons of college basketball for the San Diego State Aztecs
- And was a consensus second-team All-American as a sophomore
- The Indiana Pacers selected him with the 15th overall pick in the 2011 NBA draft
- But traded him to the San Antonio Spurs the same day
- With the Spurs, Leonard won an NBA championship in 2014
- Then he was named the Finals Most Valuable Player (MVP)
- After seven seasons with the Spurs, Leonard was traded to the Raptors in 2018
- In 2019, he led the Raptors to their first NBA championship in franchise history
- And won his second Finals MVP award
- He is a three-time All-Star and has two All-NBA first team selections
- Nicknamed “The Claw” or “The Klaw” for his ball-hawking skills
- Leonard has earned five All-Defensive team selections
- He won the NBA Defensive Player of the Year award in 2015 and 2016
- Kawhi Leonard attended Canyon Springs High School in Moreno Valley, California
- Before transferring to Martin Luther King High School his junior year
- In his senior year, he and Tony Snell led the King High Wolves to a 30–3 record
- Leonard averaged 22.6 points, 13.1 rebounds, 3.9 assists, and 3.0 blocks per game that year and won California Mr. Basketball
- Considered a four-star recruit by Rivals.com
- Kawhi Leonard was listed as the No. 8 small forward and the No. 48 player in the nation in 2009
- As a freshman at San Diego State University in 2009- 10
- Kawhi Leonard averaged 12.7 points and 9.9 rebounds per game for the Aztecs
- He helped lead the Aztecs to a 25- 9 record and the Mountain West Conference (MWC) tournament title
- SDSU received an automatic bid to the NCAA Tournament but lost to Tennessee, 62- 59, in the first round
- With Leonard recording 12 points and 10 rebounds
- He led the MWC in rebounding and was named MWC freshman of the year, first team All-MWC, and the 2010 MWC Tournament MVP
- In Leonard’s sophomore season, he averaged 15.7 points and 10.4 rebounds
- As the Aztecs finished with a 34- 3 record and won back-to-back conference tournament championships
- Leonard and San Diego State once again made the NCAA tournament
- This time SDSU advanced to the Sweet 16
- There they lost to eventual national champion UConn
- Kawhi Leonard was named to the Second Team All-America and left San Diego State to enter the 2011 NBA draft
- Kawhi Leonard is the son of Mark Leonard and Kim Robertson
- He is the youngest child of the family and has four sisters
- His father was shot and killed on January 18, 2008, at the Compton car wash he owned
- Leonard insisted on playing the next evening and broke down emotionally after the game
- As of 2019 the murderer had still not been found
- Leonard is the cousin of American football wide receiver Stevie Johnson
- Leonard’s girlfriend, Kishele Shipley, gave birth to their first child in July 2016
- In March 2019, the couple welcomed their second child, a boy
- In 2018 Leonard reportedly signed a multi-year endorsement deal with New Balance
- The multinational sports footwear and apparel corporation
- He had previously signed with Air Jordan brand, a subsidiary of Nike
- In June 2019, Leonard filed a federal lawsuit against Nike
- According to the lawsuit, Nike copyrighted Leonard’s “Klaw” logo without his consent
- Leonard is known for his quiet and private demeanor
- He rarely gives interviews and avoids questions about his private life
- Kawhi Leonard has also said that he does not actively consume news media or use social media
Got anything to add?