Kawhi Anthony Leonard (/kəˈhwaɪ/ kə-WHY;[1] born June 29, 1991) is an American professional basketball player for the Los Angeles Clippers of the National Basketball Association (NBA). A two-time NBA champion and Finals MVP, he is a six-time All-Star and a six-time member of the All-NBA Team (including three First Team selections). Nicknamed the "Claw" or "Klaw" for his ball-hawking skills and exceptionally large hands, Leonard is often regarded as one of the greatest two-way players in NBA history.[2][3][4][5][6]
Earning seven All-Defensive Team selections and winning Defensive Player of the Year honors in 2015 and 2016, Leonard has consistently demonstrated his elite defensive prowess. In 2021, he was named to the NBA 75th Anniversary Team, cementing his legacy as one of basketball's all-time greats.
Leonard played two seasons of college basketball for the San Diego State Aztecs and was named a consensus second-team All-American as a sophomore. He opted to forgo his final two seasons of college eligibility to enter the 2011 NBA draft. He was selected by the Indiana Pacers with the 15th overall pick before being traded to the San Antonio Spurs on draft night.
This trade proved to be a pivotal moment in Leonard's career, setting the stage for his emergence as one of the league's most formidable defensive players and an eventual championship winner.
With the Spurs, Leonard won an NBA championship in 2014, when he was named the Finals Most Valuable Player. His performance in that championship run showcased his two-way excellence and ability to perform under pressure in the most important games.
After seven seasons with the Spurs, Leonard established himself as one of the franchise's greatest players alongside Tim Duncan, establishing a legacy that would shape the team's competitive future.
Leonard was traded to the Toronto Raptors in 2018, marking the beginning of a new chapter. In his only season with the Raptors in 2019, he led the Raptors to their first NBA championship and won his second Finals MVP award. This achievement made him one of only three players to win Finals MVP with multiple teams, along with Kareem Abdul-Jabbar and LeBron James.
He subsequently moved to his hometown of Los Angeles and signed with the Clippers as a free agent in July 2019. This move represented a homecoming for Leonard and marked the beginning of a new era for the Clippers franchise, as they sought to compete for an NBA championship with a roster featuring Leonard and other star players.
