Over the course of his career, Kawhi Leonard has become one of the most clutch players in the NBA. Leonard is a machine when he is fit enough to play, dominating both sides of the ball and stepping up his game when it’s time for the playoffs. In 2019, when he won the championship during his only season as a Toronto Raptor, he was widely hailed as the best player in the league at the time.
Leonard was crucial to that playoff run, carrying a team that didn’t have a recognized 2nd star through playoff series against a stacked Sixers team, Giannis’ Milwaukee Bucks and the Golden State Warriors. His buzzer-beater against Philadelphia in a crucial Game 7 remains one of the most iconic shots in the history of the NBA.
And Kawhi’s trainer who also coached him in high school, Clint Parks, has given him the highest praise when addressing his 2019 run with the Raptors, comparing Leonard with the likes of Kobe Bryant and Michael Jordan, who both won titles for their teams while carrying the load on the offensive and defensive ends of the floor (via Sportskeeda).
“It was like watching Kobe or MJ as a kid. Like, that’s how I felt when I was watching him in the playoffs. Especially against the Sixers. He couldn’t miss; it was nothing he couldn’t do. And then even watching him against the Bucks, after being down 2-0 and just watching him take Giannis’ heart.”
Leonard was absolutely unstoppable during that playoff run, averaging 30.9 points per game to go along with an amazing 9.1 rebounds as well. The offense flowed entirely through his killer mid-range and robotic three-point shooting. Leonard has been unable to carry the Los Angeles Clippers in quite the same way, despite some impressive playoff performances against the Mavericks and is currently out for the season having torn his ACL.
