"Coming into the league he was a defensive guy and he became a one-on-one offensive guy who could shoot the ball from 3. More than a decade later, the question remains: Who is Kawhi Leonard? We’ll go along as if Kawhi’s development would have been the same, year by year it was while he was on his rookie contract in San Antonio. • Can any team do what Toronto just did?

Who passed on him in the 2011NBA draft? Mute. Are they good enough to crack the playoffs? But they started working out too late, so they were looking at D-2. Vesely put up just three points and three rebounds per game in three seasons with the Wizards before he headed overseas to continue his career. The first signs of something different about Leonard, though, came right after the Spurs got their hands on him. Enes Kanter was good on the offensive end of the floor, but he was horrible defensively. Utah could have selected Leonard at No. So Leonard sought out Ariza, who had come to work out with his trainer, former Aztecs guard Tony Bland, and asked to take part. "That describes him very well.". Harden My Take digests Daryl Morey’s resignation, future of Rockets.

As he was preparing for his senior year, another hot prospect from a rival high school, Malcolm Lee, was preparing to begin his college career at UCLA. Leonard's 36-point performance in Game 4 was his 14th 30-point game this postseason.

That wouldn't be a problem for Leonard, who eventually began to think about bigger goals than Division I basketball. Next video. © 2006-2020 TalkBasket.net. "I was in ninth grade or 10th grade, and [the other players] were seniors, and they were trying to get into Division I. Links To Other Sites Only Mildly Annoying, Rockets, NBA react to death of scout BJ Johnson, Report: Knicks could be interested in Russell Westbrook trade if available, Rockets currently in talks with Jeff Van Gundy. Only Hakeem Olajuwon, Michael Jordan and Kobe Bryant have had more. FAQ: When and how will the 2020-21 NBA season begin? Kawhi was drafted in 2011, which, on a decent Suns team starring Steve Nash and Vince Carter, would make him a strong candidate as a starter given his high draft selection. "I was 6-6, I could shoot the ball, and I wasn't playing the post just because I was big," Leonard said, surgically ticking off his skills at the time.
New Balance launched a "Fun Guy" campaign after signing Leonard earlier this season, and the unusual laugh that ended his answer at that media session has since become the stuff of viral legend. He was compared to Metta World Peace and Gerald Wallace, and his outside shooting (or lack th… Jae Crowder thanks Miami Heat fans for their support in the... Report: Miami Heat could target veteran Paul Milsap if Jae Crowder... Daryl Morey: “James Harden changed my life”. When Leonard was selected by the Indiana Pacers with the No. Jeremy and Michael discuss Round 3 of the What If Game as it pertains to the Houston Rockets franchise. 2011: Rd 1, Pk 15 (IND) Status.
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"Don't go to somebody that doesn't want you. One of the stars of "Old School" is described to Leonard, who shows a glimpse of recognition.

Kawhi Leonard signed a 3 year / $103,137,300 contract with the Los Angeles Clippers, including $103,137,300 guaranteed, and an annual average salary of $34,379,100. The Suns were yet again awful and landed Arizona big man DeAndre Ayton with the 1st overall selection. He will be an unrestricted free agent July 1 and there is a very real possibility he could change teams for the second time in a year. The smaller roster of attendees meant everyone watching would be forced to see how each participant performed. Harden My Take looks back at the 2011 Draft, where the Rockets were the last team to pass on the future Finals MVP. "Trevor was big for me in college," Leonard said. "San Diego State was recruiting me, and one of my friends was going there, too, so that was a big part of me going there. 1 pick), Klay Thompson, and Kemba Walker. "He was an NBA player when he was a freshman in college," Trevor Ariza told ESPN. They could have selected Kawhi Leonard over Bismack Biyombo at No. Featuring Isaiah Thomas at the one, D-Book at the 2, Kawhi at the 3 and Alex Len and Tyson Chandler handling the 4 and 5. All Rights Reserved. "Oh, yeah, yeah. He didn't win them all, but he wanted to," Ariza said with a laugh.

But those who know Leonard away from the court will unanimously say he's far funnier than given credit for. Microsoft may earn an Affiliate Commission if you purchase something through recommended links in this article. Please leave any questions for next week’s podcast in the comment section.

And, them sticking around, that was that much better. They could have selected Kawhi Leonard over Bismack Biyombo at No. We’ll go along as if Kawhi’s development would have been the same, year by year it was while he was on his rookie contract in … "I prided myself on being there first person in all the time," Ariza said.

Send all feedback, comments, and questions to jeremybrenerchs@gmail.com. What If The Rockets Drafted Kawhi Leonard? That's what will always stand out about him.". "I'm about to enjoy this with my teammates and my coaches, and I'll think about that later," Leonard said after Game 6 when asked about his future. No part of this website may be reproduced without the express consent of TalkBasket.net, (What if) The Phoenix Suns Drafted Kawhi Leonard, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar was served video evidence after claiming no one blocked his hook during his prime, LeBron James sends an encouraging message to UCLA Health staff (VIDEO), Kawhi Leonard reportedly requests an upgrade in point guard position, Kawhi Leonard, Paul George ‘on board’ with the Clippers’ decision to hire Tyronn Lue, Stephen A. Smith: “Kawhi, there’s two words that have been used about him: indifferent and selfish … Ty Lue ain’t gonna have that”, Report: Kawhi Leonard treatment negatively affected the Clippers, Sixers’ assistant coach joins Monty Williams in Phoenix, Sergio Scariolo on Kawhi Leonard: “He is proof that a guy does not have to be awkward to be a superstar”. Derrick Williams, PF, Minnesota Timberwolves, Tristan Thompson, PF/C, Cleveland Cavaliers, Bismack Biyombo, C, Sacramento Kings (rights traded to Charlotte), Jimmer Fredette, SG, Milwaukee Bucks (rights traded to Sacramento), Kawhi Leonard, SF, Indiana Pacers (rights traded to San Antonio).

"I just always looked at the last guy on the end of the bench, and thought I could be better than him," Leonard said. Irving and Thompson have both won championships and filled immediate needs for their teams, so we can’t knock Cleveland and Golden State for passing on Leonard. 2011: Rd 1, Pk 15 (IND) Status. Play. He joined with the Toronto Raptors in June 2018. It's impressive company for someone who wasn't seen as a scorer when he came into the league. With an NBA work stoppage rapidly approaching, there were only seven days when the Spurs could work with him before he wouldn't be allowed to have contact with the team. Nobody looked at him as something special.". Who is Kawhi Leonard? "It's very simple. Huge thanks to @kblampson for name suggestion and Alec Greenberg for logo. 3 or No. "I knew you could go to the NBA from the school, and that's all I wanted," Leonard said. Kawhi Leonard shocked the basketball world when he revealed that he wants to be traded. "He competed the entire three days and didn't say a word. How Luka compares to LeBron, Magic and Bird, Nets' throwback uniforms pay homage to a '90s New Jersey classic, These Lakers made it through every moment that could have broken them, The scenes of a Lakers title celebration like no other. Leonard asked. The Paul Pierce camp where he crossed paths with Fraschilla offered him a singular opportunity to separate himself from the pack. Harden My Take is on iTunes: Click Here to Download. We are going to go with the Kings because a one-two punch of Leonard and DeMarcus Cousins could have turned into a potential championship contender in the West. What is Toronto's best pitch to keep Kawhi? And Ariza wasn't just any NBA player. "He imposed his will on the game, and all the other guys followed him. He wants to win basketball games, and work hard. Ditto for James Harden, another Southern California product who would go on to be the No. Draft Info. So Leonard spent as much of the week between the draft and the lockout as possible working with Chip Engelland, the Spurs' famed shooting coach; the knock on Leonard coming into the draft had been that he struggled to make shots consistently.

Raptors teammate Kyle Lowry backed up that sentiment. Through it all, he did it while barely changing his facial expression, remaining the relentlessly cold-blooded superstar that he has forged himself into, thanks to more than a decade of relentless dedication to his craft. You couldn’t touch... Chris Bosh talks about LeBron James’ work ethic. The Wizards didn’t have a clear-cut backup for Rashard Lewis, and it would have made sense to draft Leonard and let him grow into his own. KAWHI LEONARD IS not afraid to test himself against the best. Leonard might not remember, but Ariza certainly did. Biyombo hasn’t done much as a journeyman in the league, and Fredette’s stint with the Warriors didn’t work out last season. Sacramento Kings (twice) Of course Sacramento would make this list. Full screen. "He never said anything in the drills, but he was a ferocious competitor. As for how he gets it done, Parks has a simple explanation. After making just 29% of his 3-point attempts from the shorter college line as a sophomore, he shot 37.6% from beyond the arc as a rookie, fifth best among rookies who attempted at least 100 3-pointers that season.

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