Kawhi Leonard - A Character breakdown. This guy is a Spur for life

Why am I writing about the character of Kawhi Leonard? Why should I choose to spend my valuable time doing this?

Because, I am really tired of seeing how easily many of the fans of this "smart" fanbase can be duped. Yes, I said DUPED. Everyday since Kawhi completed his 9th game of the 2017-2018 season, the media has provided a steady spew of articles (vomit) with misnomers like “SOURCES” say that the Spurs and Kawhi do not talk, an UNNAMED executive from another team says Kawhi wants out, a NATIONAL TV Media guy says I THINK Kawhi has played his last game with the Spurs.

There is not 1 real SHRED of proof but time and again, we see “FANS” saying the worse things about the player, the team, medical doctors, and certain family members. AGAIN, with not 1 real shred of proof.

In San Antonio, there were shirts seen on social media that besmirch Kawhi. I guess those fans read statements and headlines all over the place, BASED ON HEARSAY and Supposition(Fake News/Speculation) that are being posted on most every social media board of note and determined they must be true? Why is that? I guess some people fear negativity so they let the fear of it drive them deeper. It’s my working theory.

I had hoped that there are many fans who seek to challenge those assertions. However, it seems that these people while supportive, they aren’t vociferous. Perhaps even though they are supportive of Kawhi and the Spurs, they do not want to engage in discussion with those OTHER fans. Yes, it can get heated but in my opinion, the debate process reveals a lot of what people really think and how far they are willing to back up those opinions. A healthy discussion should be encouraged.

On various message boards and social media groups, when I've posted challenges complete with quotes from Pop, Kawhi, RC, Uncle Dennis Robertson and various local media or national media who didn't spin it negatively, I note that people don’t read it all the way through. I find fans like me and others who read the same articles or compilation of source material, answering question where the answers are already in that same compilation of source material. OR they go a step further and they challenge back with something not rooted in anything other than hearsay from some whack media tweet or article.

The responses range from, “Where there’s smoke, there’s fire”, “That after-game press statement was a thinly-veiled directive at the player”, or “A friend of mine who knows someone says that the player is craving a larger shoe deal”. Hell, we even got a statement that starts with "From what I heard, from a little birdie...”via Nate Robinson.

Here’s the entire quote, "From what I heard, from a little birdie, what I heard that the reason why he doesn't, not that he doesn't want to play, is that he doesn't want to be in San Antonio no more, is because that I heard a big bag was coming. But if he doesn’t leave San Antonio, that big bag is not coming.”

Seriously?

I surmise that the reason could be because a lengthy explanation rooted in common sense is NOT a short sound byte or a tweet that can be easily read or digested and more importantly, SHARED. I think that people just don’t want to read or share the data presented because the answer is not short or sizzling enough.

The problem with simply reading just a short tweet or a short article is that it is so easily possible to misinterpret the information in them. In today’s news cycle, it seems that the TMZ style of “Get it out first!” is more important than the former journalistic integrity methods where stories were out to tell the audience the truth. It used to be that stories released by the press were fair and balanced and the sources and subject matter were verified and then re-verified and then edited to make sure that no one could misinterpret the topic a million different ways.

If one is more inclined to make their decision via today’s TMZ method then, that's just really bad. It is bad because their decision making process involves little more than just 1 or a few posts or tweets or articles all pulling from a SINGLE source with no verification.

Again, in today’s news cycle with so many bloggers, tweets, and articles, when they all are using the same “SOURCE” of “Mis” information, it’s easy to see how that stuff gets distributed and multiplied. It has the requisite sizzle and it’s short enough to be made viral with little challenge.

However, if one is more inclined to take the time to go through as many data points as possible, by going through multiple sources via video, news articles, and books from accredited sources, then one could format an opinion that is based on rational thought. It is my hope that you actually take the time to do just this. It should be that important. If you’ve done this, then people know you are coming from a well thought out position.

Again, if one bases a decision on little data for support, then why do so many people push that data drivel all over the place like it's FACT?

If given a chance, I know people can do more than settle for drivel. Here is a chance for one to read up on Kawhi Leonard and see the foundation that made Kawhi...KAWHI!

]---* Kawhi Leonard

Okay, let's talk Kawhi.

https://www.si.com/nba/2016/03/15/kawhi-leonard-spurs-tim-duncan-gregg-popovich-tony-parker-manu-ginobili March 2016

He called coaches and parents sir and ma'am. He handed footballs to officials after touchdowns. He passed basketballs to friends instead of shooting them himself. "Why do you do that?" his mother, Kim Robertson, once asked him.

Leonard watched Come Fly with Me, a glossy 1980s documentary about Michael Jordan, until his eyes ached. But the promise of movies, commercials, stratospheric stats and double-pump highlights—trappings of success in the post-Jordan age—were not what enticed him. "I don't like to bring attention to myself," he says now. "I don't like to make a scene." Basketball was an outlet, not a showcase, a vehicle for escape rather than glory.”

"I could be on the court for two hours and it felt like 10 minutes," Leonard says. "It made time go by." Math, his favorite subject, produced a similar effect. He could lose himself in geometry homework, calculating angles and solving problems, not having to deal with big crowds or nosy questions.

"So many people care so much about being popular," says Jeremy Castleberry, who grew up with Leonard. "He never did."
Note- (Jeremy played Inland Empire AAU Ball with Kawhi and they both went to King High School and to SDSU where they played basketball together. They still hang out to this day.)

Here’s a link about Jeremy:
http://www.sandiegouniontribune.com/sports/aztecs/sdut-sdsu-basketball-jeremy-castleberry-kawhi-2013mar04-story.html March 2013

]---* High School and AAU and the college recruiting process

Many of you know that Kawhi has always been focused on basketball. Some of you know that he went to Canyon Springs High School in Moreno Valley, CA before he went to King in Riverside. But did you guys know that Kawhi didn’t play basketball his freshman year because his mom was out of town and that he couldn’t get a ride to tryouts? Since he missed out on Basketball, Kawhi played football that freshman year. He played Wide Receiver and Safety. Imagine what his catch/defensive radius is. Here is a picture for reference:

6-7 Inches Tall
87.75 Inch (7 ft 3.75 inches) Wingspan (Same as Giannis Antetokounmpo who is 6-11)
11.5 Hands Inches - Thumb to Pinkie (Giannis is at 12)

“The coach wouldn’t let me play when I was a freshman,” Leonard said by telephone this week of his first year at Canyon Springs High School in Moreno Valley, Calif. “I missed the tryouts, and I sent him an e-mail saying why and how my mom was out of town and I couldn’t get a ride over there. He knew I was a good player, but he just didn’t want me to play.”

His coach at Martin Luther King HS, Riverside was Tim Sweeney Jr. Kawhi transferred to King his Junior year. An Inland Empire AAU Coach named Marvin Lea helped guide him to King. Coach Lea was also the part-time “carpool/chauffeur” for Kawhi.
On January 18th, Kawhi played in a game and on that night, his father, Mark Leonard, had been shot and killed at his Car Wash business in Compton. Kawhi spent his summers working there and limited his AAU summer games so he could work with his father. As of April 25th, 2018, his case remains unsolved.

On January 19th, Marvin Lea, his club coach, was driving him to Pauley Pavilion when King coach Tim Sweeney called and told Lea: “Is Kawhi sure he wants to play? Let him know he doesn't have to. Let him know we understand.”

Lea turned to Leonard and asked again: “Tell me. Do you really want to play?”

Leonard stared straight ahead and answered quietly.
“Coach, I have to.”   
Kawhi Leonard scored 17 points at UCLA’s Pauley Pavilion basketball court, and his team lost to powerhouse Compton Dominguez High.
"Basketball is my life, and I wanted to go out there and take my mind off it," he said. "It was real sad. My father was supposed to be at the game."

He cried in his mother’s arms that night after the game.

Later that same season, after King High, led by Kawhi, dispatched of 3 LA City top contenders:
"We wanted to come out and get some respect and represent" the Inland Empire, Leonard said.

Leonard will be remembering and honoring his father tonight.
"He'd be very proud," he said. "I try to play as hard as I can each night. That's what my father wanted me to do."
http://www.latimes.com/sports/la-sp-sondheimer8mar08-column.html March 2008

Even back then, Coach Sweeney felt he'd be an NBA All-Star. People laughed back then but Coach Sweeney explained the following:

“I called my father, who was a Hall of Fame high school coach and college coach. I said, ‘You gotta get down to the gym right now. I think we’ve got ourselves not only an NBA player, he’s an NBA All-Star.’ He laughed at me. Well, nobody’s laughing now.
“There was something in his game. He doesn’t have to score to dominate a basketball game. He can do it through rebounding, do it through assists, he can do it through stealing the ball, defense.”
When being initially recruited, NOT 1 MAJOR program wanted Kawhi. There is a dubious reason for that though.
Kawhi was on an AAU Team, The LA Dream Team, dominated by a Magic Johnson like big player named Renardo Sidney Jr.. Renardo Sidney Sr., his father was the coach and he tried to get as much pub for Renardo as possible. SLAM magazine actually had him listed as a NEXT great player out of HS. How good was he back then? Sidney was MVP at ABCD Camp and was once considered a Top 10 recruit at the time alongside future NBA stars like John Wall, DeMarcus Cousins as well as Avery Bradley.

On the LA Dream Team, Kawhi was outplaying Renardo well enough that when it came time for Coach Sidney to talk to colleges about Kawhi, he badmouthed him to all the recruiters and tried to get the spotlight focused on his own son. The LA Area colleges stopped asking about him. UCLA, USC and Long Beach State and many other schools apologized later and when they realized they were misled, these same schools attempted a late in the recruitment process charge in hopes of getting him to come to their programs but Kawhi had already committed to San Diego State.

Here's an article from SLAM about Renardo. They called him, THE COULD BE. In actuality, he was the DID NOT PAN OUT.
http://www.slamonline.com/media/slam-tv/renardo-sidney-the-could-be/ October 2009
If you want to know why, here is Renardo’s story:
http://www.espn.com/mens-college-basketball/story/_/id/9429321/renardo-sidney-cautionary-tale-nba-draft-early-entries-college-basketball June 2013

So how did Kawhi do in High School?
Leonard ended up beating Sidney (as well as four-star UCLA commits like Reeves Nelson, Anthony Stover, Brendan Lane and Tyler Honeycutt) for Mr. Basketball in California in 2009.

Kawhi Leonard was the 2009 Cal-Hi Sports player of the year for Basketball AKA Mr. Basketball for the State of California.

Here is a list back to 1990, of all the players who were Mr. Basketball California:

2018 – Onyeka Okongwu, Chino Hills, 6-9 Jr.
2017 – Ethan Thompson, Torrance Bishop Montgomery, 6-4
2016 – Lonzo Ball, Chino Hills, 6-6
2015 – Ivan Rabb, Oakland Bishop O’Dowd, 6-10
2014 – Stanley Johnson, Santa Ana Mater Dei, 6-6
2013 – Aaron Gordon, San Jose Archbishop Mitty, 6-8
2012 – Aaron Gordon, San Jose Archbishop Mitty, 6-8 Jr.
2011 – Ryan Anderson, Long Beach Poly, 6-8
2010 – Allen Crabbe, Los Angeles Price, 6-6
2009 – Kawhi Leonard, Riverside Martin Luther King, 6-7
2008 – Jrue Holiday, North Hollywood Campbell Hall, 6-3
2007 – Taylor King, Santa Ana Mater Dei, 6-8
2006 – Chase Budinger, Carlsbad La Costa Canyon, 6-8
2005 – Amir Johnson, L.A. Westchester, 6-10
2004 – DeMarcus Nelson, Sacramento Sheldon, 6-3
2003 – Trevor Ariza, L.A. Westchester, 6-8
2002 – Hassan Adams, L.A. Westchester, 6-4
2001 – Tyson Chandler, Compton Dominguez, 7-1
2000 – Tyson Chandler, Compton Dominguez, 7-0 Jr.
1999 – Casey Jacobsen, Glendora, 6-6
1998 – Tayshaun Prince, Compton Dominguez, 6-8
1997 – Baron Davis, Santa Monica Crossroads, 6-2
1996 – Corey Benjamin, Fontana, 6-6
1995 – Paul Pierce, Inglewood, 6-7
1994 – Jelani Gardner, Bellflower St. John Bosco, 6-6
1993 – Charles O’Bannon, Lakewood Artesia, 6-7
1992 – Jason Kidd, Alameda St. Joseph, 6-4
1991 – Jason Kidd, Alameda St. Joseph, 6-4 Jr.
1990 – Ed O’Bannon, Lakewood Artesia, 6-9

What’s important to note here is this:
Kawhi Leonard is the first Mr. Basketball of California to not end up at either a Pac-10, Big East, ACC, Big 12 school, or the NBA in the case of Tyson Chandler and Amir Johnson.

What Kawhi was like in high school?

Coach Tim Sweeney: “Just like he is with the Spurs; he’s a very private individual and he’s quiet. When he does speak it’s big. He’s, honestly, one of the hardest workers I’ve ever seen.”

What is something people would be shocked to know about Kawhi?

Coach Tim Sweeney: (In San Antonio) He’s got two cars: a Chevy Malibu and he’s got a Porsche. He hand washes them and details them himself and he prefers to drive the Malibu over the Porsche. His father, Mark, who was murdered, owned a car wash in Compton and he grew up washing and detailing cars with his father. He takes a lot of pride in it.

It has also been reported that Kawhi has one other car but it’s in California. A 1997 Chevy Tahoe. Leonard spends his summers in a two-bedroom apartment in San Diego, where he hangs a mini hoop over one door so he can play 21 against Castleberry. He carries a basketball in his backpack even when he isn't going to the gym. He often drives a rehabbed '97 Chevy Tahoe, nicknamed Gas Guzzler, which he drove across Southern California's Inland Empire as a teenager. "It runs," Leonard explains, "and it's paid off."
http://www.slamonline.com/the-magazine/features/kawhi-leonard-san-antonio-spurs/ November 2013

]---* SAN DIEGO STATE

The Summer of 2009
Kawhi Leonard strolled up to the front door of his Chevy Tahoe, which was all packed up and ready to go. His uncle, Dennis Robertson, was walking with him. The two had always been close. But in the 20 months since the murder of Kawhi’s father, Mark, who was fatally shot while working one evening at his Compton car wash, Robertson had begun to serve a different role in the life of his sister’s son. And so as an 18-year-old Kawhi prepared himself for the 90-mile drive south from Moreno Valley to San Diego State University, he and his uncle had one final chat before the soon-to-be college basketball player tucked his 6-7 frame into his car.

Months earlier, Leonard’s 20-rebound effort had helped his high school, Riverside (CA) King, capture the Southern Section Division I-AA championship. In that game he also had 11 points, 6 blocks and 3 steals. It was a performance that was emblematic of Leonard’s senior season, one in which he averaged 22.6 points, 13.1 rebounds and 3.4 assists per game.
Leonard seemed like the perfect high school prospect. And yet, for some reason, San Diego State had been the only school to come banging, and not just knocking, on his door. Sure, others had come around, especially as Leonard’s senior year progressed. But Justin Hutson, an assistant for Aztecs’ head coach Steve Fisher, had been on Leonard’s trail longer than everyone else. The Aztecs were the only school to make Leonard feel like he was the player they wanted, and not just a fallback in case some other top recruit decided to play for someone else. To Kawhi, that—loyalty, respect, candor—mattered more than any publicity or adulation that would come with attending a more prestigious school.

And so here he was, standing underneath the California sun, sharing one last thought with his uncle before heading off to college. Like most of the thoughts that come out of the mouth of the laconic Leonard, it was short and to the point. And full of confidence—in himself, and the journey he was about to take.
“Uncle,” he said, “I’m only doing two years there.”

A few minutes later, Leonard was in the car and driving away. As always, he knew exactly where he was going.

CBS Sports February 2011

Kawhi Leonard: “People would ask what college are you going to, and I'd say, ‘San Diego State,’ ” he says. “And they'd say, ‘Why?’ ”

“I'd have parents say, ‘Can I ask you, why is he going there?’ ” says Kim Robertson, Leonard's mother. “We got that a lot. And I'd tell them, look, Kawhi doesn't care about all that glitz. He made his choice and he stuck by it and there is no going back. That's the attitude he took — and now (those other schools) have to watch him beat them.”
She adds, “What people don't understand is that Kawhi doesn't really care about the hype, or about this big name or that big name. That's not what he's about He just wants to play basketball, that's it.”

His SDSU Coach Steve Fisher always was true to him and he was so appreciative. Yeah, he wanted UCLA out of high school but when they backed out...he said AZTECS and that was that.
Leonard says he instantly “clicked” with the San Diego State coaches and players. He says SDSU was the first school to genuinely recruit him and “I had a relationship with them.” He says he values loyalty and when the bigger schools — UCLA, USC, Cal, Arizona State — finally stepped up their recruiting pitches, it was “too late.”
Justin Hutson (assistant coach, San Diego State): “He was a guy you had to go find [in recruiting] because he wasn’t always going to pick up his phone. He was not easy to get in touch with, not easy to read, but he was genuine with me. So if you continue to work and call and go see him and text, he appreciated that.”
SDSU Coach Steve Fisher: “We did our due diligence and we worked him hard, hard, hard,” recalled Fisher, who previously recruited Webber and the rest of the “Fab Five” to Michigan during his nine-year stint in Ann Arbor in the 1990s. “We use the analogy that they wanted to go on a date but weren’t ready to get married to him. We wanted him. We were ready for the marriage to happen.

“And his mother was a huge piece to the commitment to us,” Fisher added of Robertson. “She trusted us, she believed in us, and Kawhi was even more shy then than he is now, and he’s just starting to come out with a willingness to accept some of the spotlight.”

Once on campus at Montezuma Mesa, Leonard quickly developed into the star the program always expected him to be, leading the Mountain West in rebounding while leading the Aztecs to the NCAA tournament for the first time in four years as a freshman. The following season, Leonard’s last with the program, the Aztecs earned a No. 2 seed in the dance — the best in program history — before ultimately falling to the eventual champs, Connecticut, in the Sweet 16.

“He didn’t say very much, but he didn’t have to,” Fisher said of Leonard’s impact on the program during his time in San Diego. “He showed up every day ready to go to work. He loved being in the gym, he practiced the way he wanted to play. You didn’t have to worry about his motor, taking a day off, not being engaged. He was a guy who everybody knew, when practice was over, he’d find his way into a gym to get extra practice in on his own. He was a leader by example.”

Now Kawhi’s story is one with much adversity. However, even though his dad was gone, Kawhi’s family offered him support in any way that he needed. Kawhi’s family is hard-working and they instilled in him that work ethic. When Kawhi worked at his dad’s car wash, he actually enjoyed the detailing of the cars. How to get the car looking clean, if it needed a wax or polish, he could do that too. His family had the means that if Kawhi chose to, he could have simply delayed his entry into the draft and played additional years at San Diego State University.

Going into the NCAA Tournament the NY Times printed this piece about Kawhi Leonard:

There were already plenty of accolades on his résumé, from the back-to-back Mountain West conference tournament titles to his selection by Sporting News as a second-team all-American. But Leonard, who has yet to decide if he will enter the NBA draft in June despite being widely projected as a late lottery or mid-first-round selection, said the fun of the tournament might affect his thinking.

“It’s tempting to come back,” said Leonard, who is averaging 15.6 points and 10.6 rebounds a game. “People like to have a winning team. It makes you want to keep playing.
“My family doesn’t need the money right now. We’re not starving, hungry, living poor. It will be nice to have a lot of money, but I think my family could hold out two more years if I play through my senior year.”
He no longer wants for transportation as he once did. And as Leonard has shown, he will be the one picking his path.
https://www.nytimes.com/2011/03/25/sports/ncaabasketball/25leonard.html March 2011

It goes to show that his journey isn’t one of a player who needs to support a financially struggling family. He said his family could hold out if he chose not to declare for the draft that summer but we knew that he already had a plan, remember?

“Uncle,” he said, “I’m only doing two years there.”

I have to ask those of you who believe the things that National Media is printing and telling you about Kawhi for the past few months, “Does this seem like a guy that wants to bail the San Antonio Spurs for the spotlight of a BIG MARKET team?

]---* The draft process

Nbadraft.net. Upside players listed below.
NBA Comparison: Luc Richard Mbah a Moute/ Gerald Wallace (We can say he’s far exceeded them.)
Strengths: A hybrid forward with terrific length … He has a high motor and plays the game with a lot of energy … Spends majority of the time on the perimeter, but occasionally shows the ability to play with his back to the basket … Uses an effective turnaround jumper inside when posting up … An agile athlete, his strides are extremely long and he covers a lot of space when running the floor … Shows improvement in majority of areas from freshman to sophomore seasons … His shooting has improved and he has become a respectable threat from the outside … Operating out of the triple threat, he combines a nice jab with a fairly quick and long first step to create separation … He has a strong preference going to his pull-up jumper, and once he gets into a rhythm he can string a number makes together (his length and high release make it a difficult shot to contest) … He is fairly comfortable handling the ball in the open court and is capable of pushing it out off the rebound when the situation calls for it … Even with the improvements to his offensive game, he still continues to contribute heavily in the rebounding department … His huge hangs, length, energy and great timing, allow him to snatch balls on both ends that are well outside of his rebounding area … An extremely quick jumper, he is very good at tipping the ball and keeping it alive on the rim … Has the instincts and shows potential in becoming a very solid defender … His ability to get out in the passing lanes and also contest shots inside make him a very dangerous weapon on the defensive end …
Weaknesses: Does not have one aspect offensively that stands out or which allows him to consistently score the ball … With his size and frame, will almost certainly be a perimeter player at the next level, but he lacks the polish and skill necessary to consistently operate on the wing … He does not have break down ability off the dribble and he is especially shaky handling the ball with his left hand … His jumpshot (while definitely improved) is still very inconsistent … The release comes high off his head and it is somewhat of a sling motion, which results in a fairly flat shot that goes all over the place … At this level, he has a size advantage on almost a nightly basis, but he still chooses to take the majority of his shots from the outside … Takes a high number of off balance shots, but does not show the ability to convert them at a good percentage … He does not have a great touch around the basket, and unless he can get inside position on the defense, he struggles finishing when contested … Not very disciplined defensively, he gambles far too often and leaves his team susceptible to giving up easy baskets …

With the 15th pick, the Indiana Pacers select Kawhi Leonard.
http://www.nba.com/draft/2011/prospects/kawhi-leonard/ June 2011 Draft Night

** Traded to San Antonio on Draft night
Strengths:

• Relentless rebounder
• Huge hands
• 7-foot-3 wingspan (Now 7-4)
• Can put the ball on the floor
• Can guard several positions
• Big-time leaper (Actually, he doesn’t jump as high as you think, it’s just that his arms are so long, his hands so big, he appears to be way up there.) Kawhi’s measured vertical for camp was 32.5 Inches. Which was pretty average. For Draft Class 2011, here are all the measurements they had listed. Kawhi was only listed ONCE, for Wingspan.
  https://www.topendsports.com/sport/basketball/testing-draft-results-2011.htm

Weaknesses:

• What's his true position?
• Jump shot is good enough to keep defenders honest, but could be more reliable
  NBA projection:
  Leonard is a probable lottery pick whose best basketball is still ahead of him. Given his rapid acclimation to college basketball as a freshman in 2009-10 and the improvement he made from then to his sophomore season, Leonard has proven that he's willing to work hard to excel. The things you hear most about Leonard are he's got a motor that's stuck on high gear and he's a matchup nightmare because of his ability to score so many different ways. And his length and hands, combined with great athleticism, make him a formidable defender.
  2010-11 Season:
  Leonard was a second-team All-America selection by the Associated Press, Sporting News and FoxSports.com and earned first-team All-Mountain West, Mountain West All-Tournament and defensive team honors.
  Key statistics:
  15.5 ppg, 10.6 rpg, 2.5 apg, 2.1 tpg, 1.4 spg, 32.6 mpg, .444 FG, .291 3PT, .759 FT
  Cool statistic:
  Leonard racked up 40 double-doubles in 70 career games, including 23 in 2010-11. That double-double total is second in school history behind Michael Cage (60), who played four seasons to Leonard's two. Leonard and Cage are tied for the most in a season (23).
  Reminds me of:
  Shawn Marion(Exceeded him too)
  What Insiders Say:
  San Diego State coach Steve Fisher
  "Kawhi compares favorably with players we have had in the past who have had a reputation and then lived up to the reputation. He came in as 'Mr. Basketball' in the state of California, and from day one nobody worked harder. He is a gym rat who is constantly trying to get better, which is why from year one to year two he was significantly better and determined to get even better as he goes along. Huge hands, pursues the ball like no other player that I've coached. When he gets his hands on the ball, he will usually get it. He's a hard guard because he can score on the bounce, he's good with the ball, he can post you up and he's just good enough to where you're hesitant to back off him and give him an open shot from the perimeter, he's a very, very good player."
  What Outsiders Say:
  Northern Colorado coach B.J. Hill
  "He's a deadly combination of size, athleticism, and motor. You don't really see guys that are 6-7, 225 have his skill set and play with the tenacity that he does for every second that he is out there. I mean, he is what all coaches dream of. A lot of times you can get little guards at 5-10, 5-11 that play like that. But to find a 6-7 guy with that skill set and that energy is awfully hard to find. And that's why he is the type of player he is and can do the things he does."
  Temple coach Fran Dunphy
  "Leonard is a very versatile guy. He can step away from the basket, make shots. He is very good at posting up. He is good at running the floor. He is good at finishing plays at the rim. He is a tough match-up."
  Connecticut coach Jim Calhoun
  "He's multi-dimensional forward who can do so many things. He likes to handle the ball. He can shoot it. He gets double-doubles. He's a match-up problem from day one."
  ]---* Yes, he’s a Spur alright!

High School Coach Tim Sweeney Jr.
A 2011 draft day trade to San Antonio, however, took Leonard out of the spotlight — which Sweeney says was actually exactly what Leonard needed as he settled into the NBA.
“I was just ecstatic,” Sweeney said of the deal, in which the Indiana Pacers acquired George Hill. “Because to be with Coach (Gregg) Popovich, to be able to grow under Tim Duncan and Manu Ginobili and Tony Parker, that was the best thing that could have happened to that kid. It allowed him to learn from three Hall of Famers, allowed him to be able to grow at a pace that was going to be good for him.
“He chose the right place to come in high school, he chose the right place at San Diego and he’s been very blessed to be able to get to the Spurs,” Sweeney continued. “Because it’s allowed him to develop into this monster on the court.”

So how did he get to San Antonio?
http://grantland.com/features/analyzing-kawhi-leonard-george-hill-trade-2013-conference-finals/ May 2013

It took George Hill coming home to Indiana for the Spurs to get Kawhi Leonard. Indiana also included the rights to Euro big Erazem Lorbeck and the 42nd pick in the same draft, which turned out to be Latvian 3 point specialist, Davis Bertans. Yes, that Davis Bertans. Today, Erazem is still in Europe, George Hill left the Pacers to sign with the Sacramento Kings and then he got traded to the Cleveland Cavaliers.

For years, all of his coaches and supporters talked about how hard Kawhi works on his game. After he was drafted, because of the then impending NBA lockout, the Spurs had only days to talk to him and setup a workout plan to improve his jumpshot.

He became a viable corner 3-point shooter almost overnight, executing a plan the Spurs hatched for him even before he became a Spur. San Antonio had only a few days to meet with Leonard between the draft and the lockout, and it used that time to have him work with its developmental staff, including Chad Forcier and Chip Engelland, the team’s famed shot doctor. Leonard left with a written plan to rework his jumper by bringing the ball lower, level with his face, in the early part of his shooting motion, so that his release point would be above his head, he says. They were confident Leonard would stick to the plan, given everything they had heard about his work ethic, Buford says.

“It was just about reppin’ that out,” Leonard says of the plan, “and training my mind so that I could shoot like that without thinking.” http://grantland.com/features/analyzing-kawhi-leonard-george-hill-trade-2013-conference-finals/ May 2013
Defensively, we all know that when healthy, he’s at minimal, ALL-NBA, ALL-NBA Defensive Team. At most, he’s MVP/DPOY and could be one of the few players in NBA history who could win both the same season.
It’s a short list of players who have done that. Michael Jordan and Hakeem Olajuwon.

I suppose I could add quotes that talk about how amazing a defensive player Kawhi is here but I don’t think I could explain Kawhi level defense better than the youtube link below and the Grantland Article from noted stat guru Kirk Goldsberry. (Incidentally, Kirk no longer works for Grantland since it is now defunct. He’s moved on from writing statistical analysis and he now works as Vice-President of Strategic Research for THE San Antonio Spurs)
http://grantland.com/the-triangle/claw-school-kawhi-leonards-defensive-master-class/ March 2015

The Kawhi Question June 2017

]---* How has Kawhi helped the Front Office in the past?

Extensions. When were they implemented?

Back to the 2011 Draft. Here are 5 prominent players from that draft with their salaries as provided by Spotrac.

Pick #1 Kyrie Irving CONTRACT:4 yr(s) / $23,198,010
2011 82 game salary: $5,144,280
2013 Club Option exercised
2014 Club Option exercised
Qualifying Offer ($9,191,949) voided
First Big Contract Extension was signed in 2014
http://www.espn.com/nba/story/_/id/11200009/cleveland-cavaliers-announce-kyrie-irving-contract-extension 5 Years S90M July 2014

Pick #4 Kemba Walker CONTRACT:4 yr(s) / $10,659,171
2011 82 game salary: $2,356,320
2013 Club Option exercised
2014 Club Option exercised
Qualifying Offer ($4,433,683)
http://www.espn.com/nba/story/_/id/11781139/kemba-walker-charlotte-hornets-agree-contract-extension 4 Years $48M October 2014

Pick #11 Klay Thompson CONTRACT:4 yr(s) / $9,742,480
2011 82 game salary: $2,126,520
2013 Club Option exercised
2014 Club Option exercised
Qualifying Offer $4,210,880
First Big Contract Extension was signed in 2014
https://www.si.com/nba/2014/10/31/klay-thompson-contract-extension-golden-state-warriors 4 Years $70M October 2014

Pick #15 Kawhi Leonard CONTRACT:4 yr(s) / $8,323,699
2011 82 game salary $1,731,960
2013 Club Option exercised
2014 Club Option exercised
Qualifying Offer $4,045,894
https://sports.yahoo.com/news/sources--kawhi-leonard-agrees-to-framework-of-contract-to-remain-with-spurs-022810487.html 5 Years $90M June 2015

Pick #30 Jimmy Butler Spotrac did not have his rookie contract. So this number is from Basketball Reference.
Season
Team
Lg
Salary
2011-12
Chicago Bulls
NBA
$1,020,960
2012-13
Chicago Bulls
NBA
$1,097,520
2013-14
Chicago Bulls
NBA
$1,112,880
2014-15
Chicago Bulls
NBA
$2,008,748
https://www.sbnation.com/nba/2015/7/1/8802927/jimmy-butler-contract-chicago-bulls-nba-free-agency-2015 5 Years $95M July 2015

If you notice, both Kawhi and Jimmy played their last rookie years deals before getting their 1st big extension. Kyrie, Kemba, and Klay got their extensions signed PRIOR to their last rookie years. Why is that important? NBA contracts, with few exceptions, are guaranteed. That means that salary cap wise, when the deals are signed, that impacts how much money a front office has to accumulate talent.

If a player delays an extension that he’s eligible while others are getting theirs, who benefits the most? THE TEAM DOES! Consider that Kawhi just a few months earlier, played well enough on both sides of the court to help the Spurs win their 5th NBA title and got the Bill Russell Finals MVP. You would think that he would have the upper hand in this situation and demand that he gets a contract like Klay Thompson or Kyrie Irving by the October 31st deadline but guess what, the team tells him that by not signing at the same time those guys did, it offers more salary cap space for the team. Kawhi not only did not demand a new deal, he actually was OKAY with this plan:

Had the Spurs given Leonard a max extension then, based on the NBA’s projected salary cap that season, he’d have counted $15,502,415 against the cap next offseason. Since he did not sign, Leonard became a free agent, so he counted just $7,235,148 against the cap until he finally signed. That extra $8,267,267 of cap space would be quite useful, and San Antonio knew they could exceed the cap to re-sign Leonard after using it. This was the rare situation where a max extension makes sense for neither the player nor the team.

Look at what Kawhi said at the time, "I was never upset about (the extension)," Leonard said. "I mean they explained to me what their deal is and why they didn't do it yet. That'll play out. I'm just here to play basketball and have fun and try to win another championship. If I think about that, then I'm not going to be the same player that I am and will be just out of it.

"I can't be impatient. It would show on the floor, and I won't compete if I'm thinking about getting the ball. I'm just going out there to do my role, the same role — defense first and then see how the ball turns out on the offensive end."

At that point, this is what Pop said:
"(Leonard) has never said one thing to me or asked me one thing about 'Pop, why don't we ... ?' Or 'Pop, why don't you ... ?' or, 'Pop, can I ... ?'" Popovich said. "He just is unbelievably coachable and does whatever we ask him to do. He's a coach's dream, very honestly."

Randy Shelton (longtime trainer): “We talk about everything. We talk about shoes, clothes, food, the training, to like cars, the stock market. He’s a big kid. And the crazy thing is he’s really intelligent about a lot of stuff.

So AGAIN, I have to ask those of you who believe the things that National Media is reporting to you about Kawhi for the past few months, “Does this seem like a guy that wants to bail the San Antonio Spurs for the spotlight of a BIG MARKET team?

]---* The Timeline of the Kawhi’s Injury, 9 games on the court, and then the shutdown with continued rehab.

So we finally get to this season. The USA Today provided what I consider, in terms of time stamps, an accurate timeline. Not so much in terms of context to which I will add appropriate reports to provide the needed context.

https://ftw.usatoday.com/2018/04/whats-going-on-with-kawhi-leonard-a-strange-timeline April 2018
May 14th, 2017 – Leonard leaves Spurs-Warriors Game 1 with a season-ending ankle injury Screw you Zaza!
June 20th – Leonard has resumed physical activity He’s working out and his injured ankle has responded well to treatment.

Adding September 25th Media Day Here’s Kawhi talking to the media: He talked about what his summer workout was on what he needs to improve. He set a goal to put 100% effort into the season. He just wants to win and get the ultimate prize. It took 2.5 weeks for his ankle to heal after the playoffs. He was happy Manu was back again for this season. He talked about what he saw in China but he did not mention anything about his Tendinopathy. Perhaps it is because the Spurs feel that it is treatable and should not be a long term issue but we now no so much more. http://www.nba.com/spurs/video/teams/spurs/2017/09/25/1638666/1506365792730-Kawhi-Media-Sound-1638666
September 30th – The Spurs announce Leonard is out with right quadriceps tendinopathy.
According to the Spurs and Popovich, it was "working on things from last summer, going a little more slowly than we thought," keeping him out.
October 18th – Leonard misses the Spurs’ season opener
”He’s still rehabbing and when he’s ready, he’ll be ready,” Popovich told reporters in Houston before San Antonio’s preseason finale.
October 20th – A video of Leonard struggling to go up a set of stairs onto a team plane hits Twitter

October 25th – Popovich says he’s not thinking about Leonard’s return
“Anything is possible.But I don’t spend a lot of time thinking about when somebody is going to come back. Because they are going to come back when they are ready, when the docs say they are ready. So when that happens, that happens.”
November 8th – Popovich says Leonard is “not totally confident”
“It’s just been more difficult for him to get through the rehab routine. His body hasn’t reacted the same way. Tony is at the point where he has been going five on five and that sort of thing. He’s not totally confident. It will be a few more weeks. But he’s definitely going in the right direction, and so is Kawhi. It’s just been taking a little bit longer.”
November 28th – Tony Parker says Leonard is “close” to a return
“He’s close, but it’s still going to be a process. You know the Spurs, they are going to take no risks. It’s going to be … a couple of weeks, three weeks, they are not going to take any risks.”

I add December 4th- 1st Public Update where Kawhi talks about his rehab

I don’t understand why people keep saying HE NEVER SAID ANYTHING, HE TOLD US ALL EXACTLY WHAT HE’S DOING.
December 12th – Leonard returns to action
“I’m just happy to be out there, just to play the game and enjoy the things I missed — missing shots, losing games, making mistakes, just everything. I missed everything on the court.”
I add December 27th- Another public update where Kawhi talks about how he is feeling after playing against the Nets. He tells us all he is not yet at 100%. Again, he talked but still, I guess for the National media and the people who follow them, they don’t remember?

January 5, 2018 – Leonard suffers partial tear in left shoulder
It wasn’t considered to be serious.
January 13th – Leonard plays final game of the season

Great game but if you see how Kawhi moved then vs how he moved say last season, you’d notice a hitch in his walk, run, and lunge gaits. In short, his movement is impacted. More on this later.
January 17th – The Spurs announce Leonard is out indefinitely.
The San Antonio Spurs today announced that forward Kawhi Leonard will be out for an indefinite period of time as he continues his rehabilitation process from right quadriceps tendinopathy.
https://www.mysanantonio.com/sports/spurs/article/Spurs-shutting-down-Kawhi-Leonard-indefinitely-12504542.php
January 22nd – ESPN reports there is a rift between Leonard and the Spurs
"There is nothing true to that story," Robertson told the Express-News hours after the story published. "Kawhi's camp and the Spurs are how they've always been – doing the right thing for the team and the right thing for Kawhi."
The very next day:
Popovich said the situation can only be termed a soap opera if the club talks about it daily.

"I don't get it," he said. "We won't talk about it. There's nothing to talk about, other than what we've already said. The rehab is going slower than expected. We wish it would have gone more quickly. And if we're going to err, as we have in the past, we're going to do it on the conservative side. We kept Timmy Duncan out of a playoff one year because of a knee, and he could have played. I don't see this as anything different than we've done with any other player. Some people, for some reason, want to do that. That's OK. It doesn't affect our team or me or anybody else."
https://www.mysanantonio.com/sports/spurs/article/Popovich-There-s-no-soap-opera-involving-Spurs-12519653.php January 23, 2018

Early/Mid February – Leonard heads to New York for consultation on injury
THIS WILL BE EXPLAINED BELOW.
February 21 – Leonard is reportedly cleared to return, but Popovich says he’d be “surprised” if Leonard played again.
This whole “medically cleared talk” by WOJ. It’s totally a bunch of speculation. But let’s play ball.
I’ll add how some in Reddit sees Woj. It’s their contention that while he’s great at roster moves and drafts he’s not as good at anything else especially when it’s a team that does NOT give him unfettered access.

Here is the quote from WOJ that some people keep using:
Leonard has been medically cleared to return from the right quad tendinopathy injury, but since shutting down a nine-game return to the San Antonio Spurs that ended Jan. 13, he has elected against returning to the active roster, sources said. If Leonard returns, it will be because he has decided he can manage the pain of the injury, according to the sources.
Away from the Spurs to pursue second opinions in New York, Leonard recently utilized the gymnasium inside the National Basketball Players Association headquarters in Manhattan for workouts, league sources told ESPN. The Spurs had team personnel accompanying Leonard in New York, sources said.

So those 2 bolded statement is where I want us to focus:

1. People keep saying that Kawhi was cleared. Why do they keep saying that? Because the media keeps telling THEM that. But how come the media doesn’t remind them that the Spurs, COLLECTIVELY shut Kawhi down on January 17th?

"He didn't re-injure it," Popovich said. "He was having pain, not right after the game, but the next day at noon or that kind of thing. The pain wasn't dissipating. It wasn't going in the right direction. It was going the other way."
The decision to shut Leonard down was a collaborative one between the coaching staff, medical team, and rehabilitation staff, with input from Leonard himself.
"I'm probably more conservative than most," Popovich said, "but the trainers, the rehab people, the doctors, the coaches, we all talked about this for a long time."
Leonard's back-to-the-drawing-board stab at rehab won't be a strict rest regimen. He will hit the weight room in hopes of re-building strength in his troublesome quad.
"He's working his ass off," Popovich said.

Again this link:
https://www.mysanantonio.com/sports/spurs/article/Spurs-shutting-down-Kawhi-Leonard-indefinitely-12504542.php January 17th, 2018

1. Reports had surfaced that Pop hadn’t talked to Kawhi in weeks. How is that possible if Kawhi has Spurs staff with him in New York?
   March 7th – Leonard tells reporters he should return “soon,” downplays report of friction between his group and the Spurs
   On Wednesday, Leonard stated that the former notion was incorrect, and that he worked in tandem with the organization while trying to bounce back from his injury.

"Everything was done as a group," he said about trying to get a second opinion. "I don't feel like nothing was friction. I talk to Pop (Spurs coach Gregg Popovich) every day. He knows what the progression were. He knew what I was doing the whole entire time, as well as the front office. We made a group decision, so it wasn’t me just going out and saying, 'I am going to go out and do this thing.'"

On how tough it's been to watch the team struggle:
“It's been tough. But these guys have been doing it all season, been playing great. Thankful for the teammates I do have; they understand my situation. And, they're playing well. I just gotta get back, but I can't come back unhealthy"
(So his teammates do supports him)

On the pain in his nine games back:
“Like I said, it's hard to explain. But obviously, I'm a competitor. If I can get out and play, I'll play, like I did in the nine games just to test it out. It just wasn't where we wanted it to be.”

March 7th, 2018

(Key word is WE.) And with the input of a lot of stakeholders — “the trainers, the rehab people, the doctors, the coaches” — who have all seen what Leonard looks like at his best and healthiest. While he’s been productive when on the court, averaging 16.2 points, 4.7 rebounds, 2.3 assists, 2.0 steals and 1.0 blocks in just 23.3 minutes per game over nine outings, this isn’t the Kawhi they know, and so they’re putting him on ice until they can figure out how to get THAT guy back.

Adding March 20th for context. An impartial view from an Orthopedic Doctor.
https://theinjuryinsight.com/kawhis-quad-injury-tendinopathy-uncertain-return/ March 2018
Their medical staff understands that Kawhi’s quad injury and tendon need to be at or near 100% so the tendinopathy doesn’t progress.

This is especially true for Kawhi because in addition to the huge stress that NBA movements put on the quad tendon, Kawhi is a 2-way franchise player. This means more minutes, often guarding the opponent’s best player, generally having an increased role on both ends, playing during the most intense stretches of the game, etc. All this adds up to increased stress on Kawhi’s quad tendon compared to the average player.

SO FOR THOSE OF YOU WHO SAY KAWHI COULD PLAY HURT, DO YOU REALLY THINK HE WOULD HAVE BEEN EFFECTIVE? Okay, for some stretches, he’d probably be better defending Thompson than the shorter Patty Mills or Bryn Forbes but if Kawhi got SERIOUSLY injured playing less than 100% then what?

It’s the Star Trek Starfleet Academy test known as The Kobayashi Maru. The NO-WIN SITUATION.

March 23rd – Tony Parker says his injury was “100 times worse” than Leonard’s. This seems bad but it’s not really the same type of injury. He did have surgery and while that worked well for TP, the thing about Tendinopathy is that surgery is not a guaranteed way to heal faster. TP’s ruptured while he was playing. The ruptured Patellar Tendon required surgery. Kawhi doesn’t have a ruptured tendon.
Late March – Leonard leaves team, returns to New York for rehabilitation. That looks bad but it is confirmed that the Spurs sent medical staff with him so they can work with him and his specialists and together, they all come up with a plan to help him heal.
People kept saying during Round 1 of the playoffs against Golden State, “Why did Kawhi have to go to New York? The team has good doctors. Tony told us so. If he was here, he could be like Steph Curry and support his team and sit on the bench.” Then it is followed up by this silly nonsense term that means what exactly? “It’s BAD OPTICS or NOT A GOOD LOOK!” Gee, I wonder where people get that idea?

I will point out that Boston Celtics player, Gordon Hayward also chose to do rehab and not be on the bench. Hayward went to Indiana yet you hear no negative mention of his decision.
Why the DOUBLE STANDARD?
http://www.masslive.com/celtics/index.ssf/2018/04/gordon_hayward_injury_boston_c_21.html Apri 2018

So why NYC? Kawhi went to NYC for the same reason that Kobe went to Golden, Colorado. It's simply because the best orthopedic doctors for their respective injuries are based where they are. Kobe had a serious knee issue and he went to see the team doctor for the US Ski Team. I'm certain that Kobe wasn't planning on infidelity. Again, these doctors have their established practices in these cities. They don’t have just 1 patient and in most situations, the injured athlete will almost always visit the doctor at THEIR office.

For Kawhi, it's this orthopedic doctor and his reputation and experience is truly outstanding. http://www.orthopedicsurgeonnyc.com/dr-johnathan-glashow-orthopedic-surgeon

Dr. Jonathan Glashow is a Board Certified orthopedic surgeon and Co-Chief of Sports Medicine Orthopedics at New York’s Mount Sinai Medical Center and has been in private practice for over 23 years. He specializes exclusively in orthopedic shoulder surgery and knee injuries including advanced arthroscopic all-inside anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) reconstruction, revision ACL reconstruction surgery, as well as state of the art techniques for arthroscopic rotator cuff repair surgery, shoulder labral repair surgery, MCL repair surgery, meniscal transplants surgery, fractures, and separated shoulder surgery.

Widely respected for his precision and application of ground breaking surgical techniques, Dr. Glashow’s approach is based on a philosophy that each individual procedure is specific and customized to the individual needs of each patient. He uses minimally invasive arthroscopic techniques so that downtime and immobility are greatly reduced. Dr. Glashow’s focus is not only a patient’s full recovery but the speed of that recovery to return to sport. To optimize this intent he coordinates post operative care which often involves interaction with physical therapists, coaches, and athletic trainers.
April 11th – The Spurs finish the regular season 47-35 as the seventh seed in the West
April 15th – Popovich says Leonard’s “group” will determine his status. While Pop is right in saying that Kawhi’s group will have the final say, it’s important to remind everyone that the Spurs medical team is collaborating with Kawhi’s group in hopes of getting him healthy and back on the court when he’s ready.

We all know that the Spurs family has been hit by personal tragedy. The loss of Pop’s wife was indeed a sudden and surprising event that none of us saw coming. The Spurs are so secretive that even the local media was stunned. The moniker CIA POP is very apt, they do such a good job of keeping all of their information in house. Despite the fact that many of us Spurs fans KNOW THAT, it is an unusual phenomenon that the TMZ national media has influenced our “smart” fanbase and they did it rather easily. I’m not sure why exactly but some surmise that if people do not use their critical thinking skills and BLINDLY ACCEPT what is told by their media source of choice, then the result is fans who feed the speculation.

I hope to have provided all of you who read this rather long explanation of this unusual injury situation with Kawhi and the noise behind it all. You have Kawhi who is now, FOR SOME, seen as an instigator of sorts. You have the Spurs, who have said as many times as they felt they needed to, NOT MUCH BECAUSE THEY DON’T DO SOAP OPERAS, that they are working WITH KAWHI and his MEDICAL TEAM on everything he is doing.

That impartial view from the Orthopedic doctor offers more of an experienced view:
Taking everything into account:
The tendinopathy diagnosis making it difficult to establish a timeline for return
The pain neuroscience factors stemming from Kawhi’s extended duration of soreness and pain and stress/frustration adding more haziness to a timeline for return
Spurs medical staff being ultra conservative yet very effective
Spurs organization being unrivaled in regards to player relationships and conflict resolution

This long variable process, although not ideal, doesn’t worry me. I’m confident that Kawhi’s quad injury will be resolved and we’ll see him back at 100%.

When? That I can’t tell you. However, I’ll trust the judgement of the Spurs medical staff and organization every time.
Randy Shelton (longtime trainer): “A big thing with Kawhi is growing up, like every other kid, he really respected the greats—[Michael] Jordan, Kobe, Carmelo [Anthony]. And that’s his style of playing if you look at it. You can’t really put a finger on how he plays…Kawhi worked with breaking down tape on all the greats.
“He watches everyone—Hakeem [Olajuwon], Jordan. Ultimately, when he’s done, I’m not saying he’s chasing Jordan, but he wants to be mentioned up there with LeBron, Kobe, MJ, Hakeem, [Charles] Barkley. He wants to not be a top 50 all-timer. He wants to be a top 10, so that’s his goal.
“He's definitely not driven by money, I'll tell you that. He lives very humble. He wants to be a great all-time basketball player.”

So even with this game taking place in Los Angeles, not far from his Moreno Valley, Calif., hometown and with about 10 family members and friends on hand, Leonard swore his mind didn't wander to a day where he doesn't wear the silver and black. He's all in when it comes to San Antonio, especially if most nights are going to be like this.

"I don't think I'm going anywhere," Leonard said. "I mean they love me here. I like the organization, and if it was up to me, I want to finish out with one team like a lot of great players have done, to stay with one organization their whole career and just be loyal to that. You never know. We'll see what happens next summer, but I'm pretty sure I'll be in a Spurs jersey for my whole life."
https://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/nba/spurs/2014/11/11/kawhi-leonard-free-agency-future-san-antonio-vs-los-angeles-clippers-gregg-popovich/18838947/ November 2014

https://twitter.com/ShamsCharania/status/986027976973340672 Not a player gone rogue.

So AGAIN, I have to ask those of you who believe the things that National Media is reporting about Kawhi for the past few months, “Does this seem like a guy that wants to bail the San Antonio Spurs for the spotlight of a BIG MARKET team?

IMHO For a guy that rarely talks to any media, you think he wants to deal with the oppressive 24/7 big market media of cities like Los Angeles, Boston, or New York?