Back in 2014, in the midst of the battle for the league's throne between LeBron James and Kevin Durant , nobody could have predicted that the San Antonio Spurs might have someone who could enter that conversation in years to come, and it wouldn't be Tim Duncan , Tony Parker or Manu Ginobili . It was, of course, Kawhi Leonard , the small forward who entered the league quietly with a scouting report that questioned his shooting, only to become one of the most efficient mid-range shooters this game has ever seen.
The Spurs shocked the Miami Heat 's Big 3 in the 2014 Finals, and among all the big names on the floor, Leonard took home Finals MVP with 17.8 points and 6.4 rebounds per game, despite not being his team's leading scorer.
Many considered the choice controversial, but what sealed it was his phenomenal defense on LeBron, who, despite putting up great numbers, struggled against Leonard as his primary defender.
After that Finals, the Spurs realized that the keys to the team were finally ready to be handed from the Big 3 to Kawhi. In his fifth season, he averaged over 20 points for the first time in his career and became the centerpiece of Gregg Popovich's team-oriented system. Everything was going great until the 2017-18 season, when Leonard's long struggle with injuries began, a saga that continues to this day.
Leonard had a degenerative knee condition that prevented him from playing full seasons, forcing him into load management and complicating roster-building for teams around him, in this case, the Los Angeles Clippers . That season, after just nine games, San Antonio shut him down, and no one could have imagined he would never wear a Spurs jersey again.
The initial issues began with his quadriceps, with the Spurs' medical staff insisting he could play, while Leonard's uncle Dennis Robertson halted his return, believing it was too soon. Parker later referenced the situation publicly, calling out Leonard .
"I've been through it. It was a rehab for me for eight months. Same kind of injury [as Leonard], but mine was a hundred times worse. But the same kind of injury. You just stay positive," Parker said .
At that point, trust between Leonard and the Spurs was completely broken. By season's end, the split was official, a huge shock to the league, as Kawhi was seen as Duncan's perfect successor: a quiet leader and model professional.
He left for the Toronto Raptors , where in 2019 he delivered the franchise's first-ever championship, with the team fully respecting his need for load management. Leonard averaged a career-high 27.1 points in the regular season and then had one of the greatest individual playoff runs in league history, averaging 30.5 points and 9.1 rebounds on 49 percent shooting. His iconic Game 7 buzzer-beater over Joel Embiid will go down as one of the greatest moments in NBA playoff history.
In the Finals, Toronto faced the Golden State Warriors , who were decimated by injuries as Klay Thompson and Kevin Durant went down. The Raptors, riding Leonard's brilliance, took the title relatively easily. After the Finals, in an interview with ESPN's Rachel Nichols, Kawhi finally addressed the Spurs saga.
"A lot of people thought I was faking the injury or didn't want to play for my team, and that was disappointing to me. So just going through that, I knew I just had to trust myself. It doesn't matter what anyone had to say about me," Leonard said .
After that shocking breakup with the Spurs, Leonard surprised the basketball world again by leaving the Raptors right after delivering them a title.
It was puzzling, considering the team gave him everything, full leadership, load management and complete trust after his painful Spurs exit. This was the first real glimpse of Leonard's enigmatic personality. Seen as quiet and reserved, it was clear there was something behind the scenes that fans never saw.
As for his injuries, time has proven that Leonard wasn't lying. He has never been the same since, even though he's still delivered a few impressive playoff series with the Clippers. But he hasn't come close to winning another title.
He has played alongside stars like Paul George , James Harden , Russell Westbrook , and now Chris Paul and Bradley Beal . With Leonard approaching 35, we may never again see him reach that "Jordan-level" dominance in the postseason. Still, the question remains whether he has one more epic playoff run left in him.
One thing is certain: fans who hate load management won't see Leonard play a full season, given his injury history, age and the care he puts into his body. While some fans and analysts criticize that approach, Leonard insists his career would have been over long ago without it.
Either way, in an era dominated by small forwards like Carmelo Anthony , George, LeBron and Durant, Kawhi carved out his own legacy with two Finals MVPs, two Defensive Player of the Year awards, and victories over superteams like the Heat and Warriors.
At his peak, Kawhi was truly on an unreal level.
This story was originally reported by Basketball Network on Aug 20, 2025, where it first appeared in the Old School section. Add Basketball Network as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
