Leonard, Kawhi << koh WY >> (1991-…), is one of the most skilled players in the National Basketball Association (NBA). Leonard stands 6 feet 7 inches (201 centimeters) tall. He plays forward for the Los Angeles Clippers. Leonard won the NBA championship with the San Antonio Spurs in 2014 and led the Toronto Raptors to the NBA title in 2019. Leonard gained the nickname “The Claw” for his large hands and strong defensive play. Leonard is also known as a quiet player who tends to avoid publicity.
Kawhi Anthony Leonard was born in Los Angeles, California, on June 29, 1991. At a young age, he excelled in both basketball and football. He gave up football during high school to focus on basketball, winning a scholarship to San Diego State University. After playing two years of college basketball, Leonard was selected 15th overall by the Indiana Pacers in the 2011 NBA draft. He was immediately traded to the Spurs, a team that had enjoyed a long run of success under forward Tim Duncan and coach Gregg Popovich. Leonard earned a spot on the NBA All-Rookie Team for his play in the 2011-2012 season. In Leonard’s second season, the Spurs played for the NBA championship, losing a seven-game series against the Miami Heat.
Leonard helped lead the Spurs to the NBA title in the 2013-2014 season. He won the NBA Finals Most Valuable Player Award for his excellent shooting and strong defense opposite the Miami Heat star LeBron James. Leonard won the Defensive Player of the Year award for the 2014-2015 and 2015-2016 seasons. In 2016, Leonard was named to his first of multiple NBA All-Star teams. A quadriceps (thigh muscle) injury caused Leonard to miss the first 27 games of the 2017-2018 season. He suffered a season-ending shoulder injury just 9 games after returning to the Spurs.
In 2018, the Spurs traded Leonard to Toronto in a multiplayer deal involving the Raptors star DeMar DeRozan. In 2019, the Leonard-led Raptors won the Eastern Conference title for the first time in franchise history. The Raptors defeated the defending champion Golden State Warriors in the NBA finals. Leonard brought home his second NBA Finals Most Valuable Player Award for his play during the series. In July 2019, Leonard signed a contract to play for the Los Angeles Clippers. He missed the 2021-2022 season because of a knee injury.
