When Kawhi Leonard won his first Championship with the Spurs in 2014, he was already showing flashes of stardom. Still, nobody knew just how good he would become.
Over the next six seasons, he would take home an MVP, make four All-Star appearances, and lead the Raptors to their first-ever NBA Championship. Today, he is widely recognized as the best two-way player in the game and one basketball analyst (FOX’s Skip Bayless) went so far as to say he’d be a future back-to-back Finals MVP.
Happy 28th birthday to The Best Two-Way Player on the Planet and soon to be back-to-back Finals MVP.
— Skip Bayless (@RealSkipBayless) June 29, 2020
Skips claim that Kawhi is the best two-way player in the game isn’t exactly controversial. This season, he averaged 26.9 points, 7.3 rebounds, and 5 assists per game on 46.9% shooting. He has five Defensive-Team selections to his name and is routinely in the conversation for Defensive Player of the Year.
With the Clippers, his odds to win a title have never been higher. He’s in a high market that is well-equipped to lure in talent, is surrounded by the deepest roster in the NBA, and is being led by head coach Doc Rivers, who is (without a doubt) one of the best minds in the game.
So, at 29-years-old, Kawhi Leonard is going to have plenty of time to win, dominate, and prove himself as one of basketball’s All-Time great players. We’ll see if he can live up to those expectations.
