Rise to Success: Career Highlights of Kawhi Leonard

Discover the career path of Kawhi Leonard, from the first major opportunity to industry-changing achievements.

Kawhi Leonard is a highly decorated NBA player currently with the Los Angeles Clippers. Known as "The Claw" for his defensive prowess and large hands, he is considered one of the best two-way players ever. His accomplishments include two NBA championships and Finals MVP awards, seven All-Star selections, six All-NBA Team selections, and seven All-Defensive Team selections. He was named Defensive Player of the Year twice (2015, 2016) and was selected for the NBA 75th Anniversary Team in 2021, solidifying his place among basketball's elite.

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Full Timeline Early Life & Education Career & Achievements Success & Recognition

December 10, 2011: Signed with the Spurs

On December 10, 2011, Kawhi Leonard signed a multi-year deal with the San Antonio Spurs and chose to wear jersey number 2.

2011: Entering the NBA Draft

In 2011, Kawhi Leonard entered the NBA draft, foregoing his final two seasons of college eligibility.

2011: NBA Scouts' Assessment

In 2011, NBA scouts recognized Kawhi Leonard's strong work ethic and physical attributes, but found him "difficult to pin down".

October 26, 2012: Spurs Exercised Team Option

On October 26, 2012, the Spurs exercised the team option on Kawhi Leonard, re-signing him through the 2013–14 season.

2012: All-Rookie First Team

At the end of the 2012 season, Kawhi Leonard was named to the NBA All-Rookie First Team.

2012: USA Select Team

During the summer of 2012, Kawhi Leonard was chosen to play for the 2012 USA men's basketball Select Team, training with the Olympic team.

2012: Rising Stars Challenge Selection

In 2012, Kawhi Leonard was selected to play in the Rising Stars Challenge as a member of Team Chuck but did not play due to a calf strain. He was also promoted to the starting small forward position for the Spurs.

2013: Re-signing Through 2013-14 season

October 26, 2012, The Spurs exercised the team option on Kawhi Leonard, re-signing him through the 2013-14 season

April 6, 2014: Season-High 26 Points

On April 6, 2014, Kawhi Leonard scored a season-high 26 points in the Spurs' 112–92 win over the Memphis Grizzlies.

June 10, 2014: Career-High 29 Points

On June 10, 2014, in game 3 of the NBA Finals series against the Miami Heat, Kawhi Leonard scored a then career-high 29 points in a 111–92 victory.

November 10, 2014: Season-High 26 Points Against Clippers

On November 10, 2014, despite suffering from blurry vision, Kawhi Leonard scored a season-high 26 points in the Spurs' 89–85 win over the Los Angeles Clippers.

2014: NBA Championship and Finals MVP

In 2014, Kawhi Leonard won an NBA championship with the San Antonio Spurs and was named the Finals Most Valuable Player.

January 16, 2015: Return from Injury

On January 16, 2015, Kawhi Leonard returned to action after missing 15 games due to a hand injury, recording 20 points in a win against the Portland Trail Blazers.

July 16, 2015: Re-signed with Spurs

On July 16, 2015, Kawhi Leonard re-signed with the San Antonio Spurs to a five-year, $90 million contract.

2015: Increased offensive role

From the 2015-16 season on, Kawhi Leonard began to take on a larger offensive role and quickly established himself as one of the most efficient scorers in the league.

2015: Team USA Showcase Game

In 2015, Kawhi Leonard participated in Team USA's Showcase game, scoring 14 points for the USA White Team.

2015: Defensive Player of the Year

In 2015, Kawhi Leonard was honored as the Defensive Player of the Year.

January 21, 2016: All-Star Selection

On January 21, 2016, Kawhi Leonard was named as a starter to the Western Conference team for the 2016 All-Star Game, earning his first All-Star selection.

March 23, 2016: Another 32-point Outing

On March 23, 2016, Kawhi Leonard scored another 32 points in a win over the Miami Heat, helping the Spurs extend their franchise-record home winning streak to 45 games.

October 25, 2016: Career-High 35 Points

On October 25, 2016, in the Spurs' season opener, Kawhi Leonard recorded a career-high 35 points in a win over the Golden State Warriors.

2016: Defensive Player of the Year (2nd time)

In 2016, Kawhi Leonard earned Defensive Player of the Year honors for the second straight year, and the Spurs finished with a 67-15 record.

2016: Olympic Team Finalist

In 2016, Kawhi Leonard was a finalist for the United States men's Olympic basketball team roster.

2016: Second Consecutive Defensive Player of the Year

In 2016, Kawhi Leonard won the Defensive Player of the Year award for the second year in a row.

January 14, 2017: New Career High of 38 Points

On January 14, 2017, Kawhi Leonard set a new career high with 38 points in a loss to the Phoenix Suns.

February 13, 2017: Victory Over Pacers

On February 13, 2017, Kawhi Leonard scored 32 points in a win over the Indiana Pacers, marking his fifth straight 30-point game and extending the Spurs' streak of consecutive winning seasons to a league-record 20.

April 15, 2017: Playoff Victory Over Grizzlies

On April 15, 2017, Kawhi Leonard matched his postseason high with 32 points in a victory over the Memphis Grizzlies in game 1 of their first-round playoff series.

December 12, 2017: Season Debut Against Mavericks

On December 12, 2017, Kawhi Leonard made his season debut against the Dallas Mavericks after missing the first 27 games due to a right quadriceps injury.

June 2018: Leonard requests trade from Spurs

In June 2018, Kawhi Leonard reportedly requested a trade from the San Antonio Spurs due to disagreements over his injury rehabilitation. He preferred to be traded to the Los Angeles Lakers.

November 2018: Endorsement deal with New Balance

In November 2018, Kawhi Leonard reportedly signed a multi-year endorsement deal with New Balance, having previously signed with Air Jordan.

2018: Leonard's Inactivity

In 2018, Kawhi Leonard did not play after being ruled out for an indefinite period of time to continue his rehabilitation process from right quadriceps tendinopathy.

2018: Traded to Toronto Raptors

In 2018, Kawhi Leonard was traded from the San Antonio Spurs to the Toronto Raptors.

January 1, 2019: Leonard scores career-high 45 points

On January 1, 2019, Kawhi Leonard scored a then career-high 45 points in a 122–116 win over the Utah Jazz, marking a significant milestone in his performance with the Toronto Raptors.

July 10, 2019: Leonard signs with Los Angeles Clippers

On July 10, 2019, Kawhi Leonard signed a three-year, $103 million contract with the Los Angeles Clippers, including an opt-out clause in 2021. The Clippers also acquired Paul George that offseason.

July 2019: Signed with Los Angeles Clippers

In July 2019, Kawhi Leonard moved to his hometown of Los Angeles and signed with the Clippers as a free agent.

October 22, 2019: Leonard debuts with Clippers

On October 22, 2019, Kawhi Leonard debuted for the Los Angeles Clippers, scoring 30 points in a 112–102 win over the Los Angeles Lakers.

2019: Raptors advance to NBA Finals

During the 2019 NBA playoffs, Kawhi Leonard led the Toronto Raptors against the Milwaukee Bucks. He contributed significantly in Games 3, 5, and 6, helping the Raptors advance to the NBA Finals for the first time. Leonard's performance included a notable dunk on Giannis Antetokounmpo.

2019: Leonard leads Raptors to NBA Championship and wins Finals MVP

In 2019, Kawhi Leonard led the Toronto Raptors to their first NBA Championship, defeating the Golden State Warriors. He was named NBA Finals MVP for the second time, achieving this with two different teams. Leonard's 732 points in the 2019 playoffs ranked as the third-highest single NBA postseason scoring total at the time.

2019: Contract talks with Toronto Raptors

In 2019, during contract talks with the Toronto Raptors, Leonard's camp sought a trade for Paul George, shares in the Toronto Maple Leafs, and $10 million annually in no-show sponsorship income.

2019: Improved Passing Game

In the 2019–20 season, Kawhi Leonard improved his passing game, logging a career-high 4.9 assists per game, nearly doubling his career average.

January 14, 2020: Leonard scores season-high 43 points

On January 14, 2020, Kawhi Leonard scored a season-high 43 points in just 29 minutes in a 128–103 win over the Cleveland Cavaliers.

December 22, 2020: Leonard records 26 points in win over Lakers

On December 22, 2020, in the Clippers' season opener, Kawhi Leonard recorded 26 points and two steals in a 116–109 win over the Los Angeles Lakers.

2020: Olympic Team Finalist

In 2020, Kawhi Leonard was a finalist for the United States men's Olympic basketball team roster.

May 3, 2021: Announces Hip Hop Album

On May 3, 2021, Kawhi Leonard announced on Instagram Live that he would release a hip hop album called Culture Jam later in the year, aiming to merge hip-hop and basketball and benefit Mamba & Mambacita.

August 12, 2021: Leonard re-signs with Clippers

On August 12, 2021, Kawhi Leonard re-signed with the Los Angeles Clippers to a four-year, $176.3 million contract after opting out of his previous contract. He remained inactive for the entire season due to a partial ACL tear.

2021: Named to NBA 75th Anniversary Team

In 2021, Kawhi Leonard was named to the NBA 75th Anniversary Team.

2021: Leonard's performance leads Clippers to playoffs

In 2021, Kawhi Leonard's stellar play led the Clippers to a 47–25 record and a fourth-place finish in the Western Conference. He was also selected to his seventh All-Defensive Team and fifth All-NBA Team. In the first round of the 2021 NBA playoffs against the Dallas Mavericks, Leonard tied his career-high with 45 points in game 6.

October 3, 2022: Leonard returns from injury

On October 3, 2022, Kawhi Leonard made his return from injury in a preseason game, scoring 11 points in a win over the Trail Blazers.

2022: Leonard has career-high performance against Warriors

On February 14, 2022, Kawhi Leonard scored 33 points, tying his career high with seven three-pointers in a 134–124 win over the reigning champions Golden State Warriors.

January 10, 2023: Leonard scores 33 points against Mavericks

On January 10, 2023, Kawhi Leonard scored 33 points, along with nine rebounds, four assists and four steals in a 113–101 win over the Dallas Mavericks.

December 8, 2023: Leonard scores season-high 41 points

On December 8, 2023, Kawhi Leonard scored a season-high 41 points, along with five rebounds and five assists in a 117–113 win over the Utah Jazz.

January 10, 2024: Leonard signs contract extension with Clippers

On January 10, 2024, Kawhi Leonard signed an extension with the Clippers that will pay him $153 million over the next three years.

July 10, 2024: Withdrawal from Olympic Roster

On July 10, 2024, Kawhi Leonard withdrew from the 2024 United States men's Olympic basketball team roster after consultations with the Clippers and USA Basketball officials. He was replaced by Derrick White.

January 4, 2025: Season Debut

On January 4, 2025, Kawhi Leonard made his season debut, scoring 12 points in a 131–105 win over the Atlanta Hawks.

October 31, 2025: Game-winning shot against Pelicans

On October 31, 2025, Kawhi Leonard scored 34 points, including a game-winning 22-foot jumper with 0.4 seconds remaining, as the Los Angeles Clippers defeated the New Orleans Pelicans 126–124. This marked his 10th career game-winning shot and third career buzzer-beater.

January 1, 2026: 45-Point Performance Against Jazz

On January 1, 2026, Kawhi Leonard scored 45 points, including 20 in the fourth quarter, leading the Clippers to a 118–101 victory over the Utah Jazz and becoming only the second player in NBA history to achieve a five-game span averaging at least 40 points per game while shooting 50/40/90 with an undefeated record.