There’s not a single person who knows basketball that could argue that Kawhi Leonard is one of the best players not only right now but of all time.
Leonard is one of the greatest defenders to ever do it and his offense just keeps getting better as the years go by. It seems like every summer, he’s adding something to his repertoire. From the mid-range to the three-point, to a much-improved package of handles and playmaking.
However, it seems like his biggest improvement yet doesn’t have anything to do with his basketball skills. Instead, he’s making great strides as a vocal leader to try and take the Los Angeles Clippers over the hump, which has impressed his teammate Serge Ibaka in comparison to their stint together with the Toronto Raptors:
“Yes, I see him more vocal than the first year I played with, in Toronto. This year he’s talking more, he’s involved more. I can see he’s really learned from last year. He’s trying to be a good leader this year by showing example first,” Ibaka said.
Leonard has often been criticized for not being outspoken enough. He’s never been looked at as a leader around the league, even though he’s one of the best players in the world. That’s just not his personality.
Then again, he’s a bonafide winner and a proven player in this league. His colleagues respect him and know that they’ll only go as far as he can lead them, both on and off the court, and that’s one of the things that hurt their chances the most in the bubble.
The Clippers were great on the court last season but a bit of a trainwreck in the locker room, so it’s nice to see Kawhi stepping up to show these guys what it takes to win an NBA Championship.
