Some view this year’s NBA Finals as
a “last hurrah” for the San Antonio Spurs. They are aging and at times seem
tired. Nonetheless, you have to tip your hat to the old guys. They passed well.
They shot well. Their defense was great. Duncan played with passion. Ginobili
shot the ball well. Parker had his spurts of greatness. 25 year old Patty Mills
proved himself as a legitimate point guard in the NBA. Boris Diaw has never
played better.
But, the most important element
this year’s championship team was undoubtedly a 22 year old kid from San Diego
State named Kawhi Leonard.
Kawhi Leonard, who was drafted 15th
in 2011 by the Pacers then traded to the Spurs with David Bertans and Erazem
Lorbeck in exchange for George Hill, wasn’t college player of the year. He wasn’t
even the Mountain West Conference player of the year (Jimmer Fredette). In his
years at San Diego St., he won the Mountain West freshman player of the year,
conference tournament MVP, and was named to the All-American 2nd
team.
Bottomline, Kawhi wasn’t expected
to do a lot in the NBA. Maybe he was expected to be a good role player, but
never an MVP. If GM’s saw MVP potential in him, he wouldn’t have slipped to 15th,
then traded with two other guys for George Hill. However, in defense of the
teams that passed on him, Leonard hasn’t been much more than a role player
until this year. To quote his coach, Gregg Popovich, "I haven't called a
play for him the whole playoff. I do not call his number. Everything he did is
just out of the motion and out of offense."
Don’t get me wrong—role players are
important. He averaged 12 points, 6 rebounds, and 2 assists per game this
season, which do go a long way. I’d be excited to have guys like that playing
for my team. I’m just saying he wasn’t a star. The stars on that team were
Duncan, Manu, and Parker.
That changed in Game 3 of this year’s
Finals. The first two games, Kawhi averaged only 9 points, 2 rebounds, and 1.5
assists. Flash forward to the Game 3, in Miami of all places. Leonard exploded
for 29 points. Game 4, he scored 20, grabbed 14 rebounds and blocked 2 shots.
Game six, he put up 22 points and 10 rebounds for another double-double. He was
mesmerizing to watch on the court. Where was this potential coming from? Who
was this guy?
When Leonard received the Bill
Russell Award as the Finals MVP, the basketball world found out who Kawhi
Leonard was. He shyly gave credit to his teammates, coaches, fans, parents, and
God. He wasn’t brash. He was arrogant. Everybody watching was just as excited
to see him receive the award as his teammates.
That is what the NBA needs. In a
league that is dominated by superstar personalities (which I’m not complaining
about, mind you), it is refreshing to see someone like Kawhi Leonard. He is
unselfish and humble. He is the underdog. And, it always feels good to see the
underdog win.
Kevin Durant deleted a few tweets
this week that suggested that the only reason why Kawhi Leonard performed so
well was because of the system ran by Coach Popovich. That may be the case, but
that’s okay, KD. It may be the system that created the greatness that is in
Leonard, but basketball is a team sport. And, with the system that team ran,
Kawhi was the most important player.
Though it may have been the “last
hurrah” for the Spurs’ “Core Three”, San Antonio fans have something to hope
for. Leonard proved this Finals series that he can play with the big boys. If
he keeps it up, the Spurs will continue to be a powerhouse team in the NBA.
Those old guys can rest assured that the team is in good hands with Kawhi.
*author's note: After writing this, I found out that his father, who he was very close to, was murdered six years ago. This kid's story just keeps getting more and more heartwarming.*
*author's note: After writing this, I found out that his father, who he was very close to, was murdered six years ago. This kid's story just keeps getting more and more heartwarming.*
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