NBA
KL
#2

Kawhi Leonard

Forward · LA Clippers · 6-7, 225 lb · Born June 29, 1991 · Los Angeles, California · Drafted 2011 Round 1, Pick 15 (Indiana, traded to San Antonio)
2x Champion2x Finals MVP2x DPOY
NBALA ClippersForwards
Compare:vs Lopezvs Garlandvs Jr.vs Zubacvs Collinsvs Miller
In short

Kawhi Leonard is a two-time NBA champion and two-time Finals MVP (2014 Spurs, 2019 Raptors), a two-time Defensive Player of the Year, and a seven-time All-Star — one of the premier two-way wings of his era, now the cornerstone of the LA Clippers.

Matchup model · next gameMedium confidenceTue, Nov 10
@Indiana PacersAggressive hedge & help
Proj. points
27.9
range 23.6–32.2
Line 28
49%
to go over
Team win
37%
111–114
Poi 27.9 Lean underReb 6.4 Lean underAss 3.6 Lean overPRA 37.9 Lean under
Likely on himAndrew Nembhard· 80 Perimeter DStrong defender
25+ pts73%30+ pts33%35+ pts7%

Model lines Leonard at 27.9 pts (range 23.6–32.2) vs a 28 line — roughly a coin flip to clear it (49%).

Model favors Indiana Pacers (63%), projected 111–114, ~225 total at 96.6 pace.

Full matchup breakdown · all markets →
Balladex Matchup Model — modeled from real roster ratings, scoring baselines & defender-matchup history. Schedule, availability & head-to-head samples are illustrative in this prototype; production wires live schedule, injury & player-tracking feeds. Not betting advice.
✦ Ask anything about Leonard
The Leonard Story — narrated
Tap play to hear his story, told as a 90-second short.
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Kawhi Leonard won championships and Finals MVPs with two franchises — and barely said a word doing it.

Drafted 15th in 2011 and dealt to San Antonio, he won a title and Finals MVP at 23 in 2014, then took back-to-back Defensive Player of the Year awards.

Traded to Toronto in 2018, he hit a legendary Game 7 buzzer-beater and delivered the Raptors' first championship, earning his second Finals MVP in 2019.

He signed with the Clippers in 2019 as their cornerstone — a seven-time All-Star and All-NBA force whose only real opponent has been his own health.

— end of story —
Want the full numbers? Open the breakdown →
PPG
27.9
2025-26
RPG
6.4
per game
APG
3.6
per game
FG%
.505
.387 from three
LIFE

Roots & the rise

A quiet superstar with the game's largest hands and one of its fiercest competitive cores, Kawhi Leonard has won championships and Finals MVPs with two different franchises and built a reputation as the ultimate two-way wing.

Kawhi Anthony Leonard was born June 29, 1991 in Los Angeles. He starred at San Diego State — Mountain West Freshman of the Year, consensus second-team All-American — before Indiana drafted him 15th overall in 2011 and immediately traded him to San Antonio for George Hill.

With the Spurs he won a title and Finals MVP at just 23 in 2014, then went back-to-back Defensive Player of the Year in 2015 and 2016. After a 2017-18 quadriceps injury and a fractured relationship with San Antonio, he was traded to Toronto.

In his lone Raptors season he hit an iconic Game 7 buzzer-beater and led Toronto to its first championship, winning a second Finals MVP in 2019 — a rare feat across two franchises. He signed with the Clippers in July 2019 as their franchise cornerstone.

Sources: Wikipedia, NBA.com, Basketball-Reference.

BEYOND THE GAME

Off the Court

Leonard is famously reserved — rarely giving interviews or using social media — a private figure whose game speaks louder than his words. His father, Mark, was shot and killed at a Compton car wash in 2008, a loss he has carried quietly.

In 2018 he left Nike for New Balance, later disputing Nike over the rights to his 'Klaw' hand logo. His nickname traces to his enormous hands and ball-hawking defensive instincts.

PERSONALITY

The person

Stoic, meticulous and relentlessly competitive, Leonard lets a devastating two-way game do all his talking.

The KlawEnormous hands and anticipation make him a perennial steals and deflection leader.
Clutch AssassinIconic playoff moments, including the 2019 Game 7 buzzer-beater for Toronto.
Ultra-PrivateRarely speaks publicly; famously low-profile off the court.
PLAYER DNA

Archetype & ratings

Archetype
Two-Way Superstar · Elite Wing
Temperament
Alpha
Leadership
78/100
Scoring93
Playmaking50
Rebounding65
Perimeter D80
Rim protection48
Spacing69
Athleticism78
Clutch85
Two-way starElite defender2× Finals MVP
ANALYSIS

What the numbers say

Two-Way Apex

Leonard is one of the era's best perimeter defenders — length, huge hands, anticipation — paired with an elite self-created scoring package of mid-range pull-ups, fadeaways and post-ups.

Clutch Pedigree

A renowned playoff riser whose efficiency and shot-making climb in the biggest moments; two Finals MVPs across two franchises attest to it.

Durability Question

A 2021 ACL tear and recurring right-knee issues have made availability, not effectiveness, the central question of his Clippers tenure.

STATS

Season by season

Per game

SeasonGPMINPTSREBASTFG%3P%
2025-266532.127.96.43.6.505.387

Source: Basketball-Reference.

ADVANCED

Advanced & historical

Where he sits in history

Titles2 (2014, 2019)
Finals MVP2 (2014, 2019)
DPOY2 (2015, 2016)

Hardware

2x
NBA Champion
2x
Finals MVP
2x
Defensive POY
OUTLOOK

Where it's headed

AI-generated · updated 2026

An elite two-way force when available, on a max Clippers deal.

Leonard remains a devastating playoff-caliber two-way wing when healthy, signing an extension with the Clippers in January 2024. His ceiling is title contention; his floor is defined entirely by knee health and load management as he enters his mid-30s.

Two-Way ImpactElite
Clutch ScoringElite
DurabilityConcern

Contract

Status
Under contract Extension signed Jan 2024
Bottom line

One of the greatest two-way wings ever — a two-time champion whose only rival is his own health.

FAQ

Quick answers

How many championships and Finals MVPs does Kawhi Leonard have?

Two of each — 2014 with San Antonio and 2019 with Toronto, winning Finals MVP both times.

Where was Kawhi Leonard drafted?

15th overall in 2011 by the Indiana Pacers, then traded to the San Antonio Spurs for George Hill.

How many times has Kawhi been Defensive Player of the Year?

Twice — 2015 and 2016, back-to-back with the Spurs.

Why is he called 'The Klaw'?

For his unusually large hands and ball-hawking defense, which produce high steal and deflection rates.