History of Kawhi Leonard in Timeline
Kawhi Leonard is a highly decorated American professional basketball player currently with the Los Angeles Clippers. Renowned as one of the NBA's premier two-way players, he has earned the moniker "The Klaw" due to his defensive prowess and large hands. Leonard boasts two NBA championships, six All-Star selections, six All-NBA Team nods, and seven All-Defensive Team selections. He was also named Defensive Player of the Year twice (2015, 2016). His accomplishments led to his inclusion on the NBA 75th Anniversary Team in 2021, solidifying his status as an all-time great.
1980: Magic Johnson NBA Finals MVP
In 1980, Magic Johnson won the NBA Finals MVP award.
1982: Magic Johnson NBA Finals MVP
In 1982, Magic Johnson won the NBA Finals MVP award.
1986: Mike Mitchell scoring record
In 1986, Mike Mitchell had six straight games with at least 30 points.
1989: Dennis Rodman's Defensive Player of the Year
In 1989, Dennis Rodman won Defensive Player of the Year.
1990: Dennis Rodman's Defensive Player of the Year
In 1990, Dennis Rodman won Defensive Player of the Year.
June 29, 1991: Kawhi Leonard Born
On June 29, 1991, Kawhi Anthony Leonard was born. He is an American professional basketball player for the Los Angeles Clippers of the NBA.
1992: Michael Jordan scores 759 points in the playoffs
In 1992, Michael Jordan scored 759 points in a single NBA postseason.
2001: Vince Carter scores 50 points
In 2001, Vince Carter scored 50 points in a playoff game, becoming the first Raptors player to eclipse 40 points in a playoff game.
2002: Tim Duncan's Scoring Streak
In 2002, Tim Duncan had a 91-game scoring streak, matching San Antonio's longest streak since.
2005: Spurs' Previous Best Season
In 2005, the Spurs had a 63-win season, which was topped in 2016.
January 18, 2008: Father's Death
On January 18, 2008, Kawhi Leonard's father, Mark Leonard, was shot and killed at his car wash in Compton.
2009: Freshman year at San Diego State University
In 2009, Kawhi Leonard began his freshman year at San Diego State University.
2009: Recruiting Ranking
In 2009, Kawhi Leonard was considered a four-star recruit by Rivals.com, and was listed as the No. 8 small forward and the No. 48 player nationwide.
2010: MWC Freshman of the Year and Tournament MVP
In 2010, Kawhi Leonard was named MWC Freshman of the Year, First Team All-MWC, and the 2010 MWC tournament MVP. He also led the MWC in rebounding, averaging 12.7 points and 9.9 rebounds per game.
December 10, 2011: Signed Multi-Year Deal with Spurs
On December 10, 2011, Kawhi Leonard signed a multi-year deal with the San Antonio Spurs following the conclusion of the NBA lockout.
2011: Declared for the NBA Draft
In 2011, Kawhi Leonard declared for the NBA Draft, forgoing his final two years of college eligibility, after being named to the Second Team All-America.
2011: NBA Scouts' Assessment of Leonard
In 2011, NBA scouts recognized Kawhi Leonard's strong work ethic and physical attributes but found him "difficult to pin down," noting his defensive and rebounding skills over offensive capabilities.
October 26, 2012: Spurs Exercise Team Option on Leonard
On October 26, 2012, the Spurs exercised the team option on Kawhi Leonard, re-signing him through the 2013–14 season.
2012: NBA All-Rookie First Team Selection
At the end of the 2012 season, Kawhi Leonard was named to the NBA All-Rookie First Team, recognizing his successful debut season.
2012: Rising Stars Challenge Selection
In 2012, Kawhi Leonard was selected to play in the Rising Stars Challenge. He was also promoted to starting small forward for the Spurs.
2012: Tony Parker Three Consecutive 30-Point Games
In 2012, Tony Parker recorded three consecutive 30-point games, a feat Kawhi Leonard matched in 2017.
2012: Selection to USA Men's Basketball Select Team
In the summer of 2012, Kawhi Leonard was selected to play for the 2012 USA men's basketball Select Team, training with the Olympic team.
2013: Extended contract with the Spurs
In 2013, Kawhi Leonard's contract with the Spurs was extended through the 2013-14 season.
April 6, 2014: Season-High 26 Points vs. Grizzlies
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 in NBA Finals Game 3
On June 10, 2014, in game 3 of the NBA Finals series, Kawhi Leonard scored a then career-high 29 points in a 111–92 victory against the Miami Heat.
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 with Spurs
In 2014, Kawhi Leonard won an NBA championship with the San Antonio Spurs and was named the Finals Most Valuable Player, marking a significant achievement in his career.
2014: Home Winning Streak Start
In 2014, the Spurs began their franchise-record home winning streak, which was extended on March 23, 2016.
January 16, 2015: Return from Injury
On January 16, 2015, Kawhi Leonard returned to action after missing 15 games due to an injured right hand, recording 20 points in a win over the Portland Trail Blazers.
July 16, 2015: Re-signed with the Spurs
On July 16, 2015, Kawhi Leonard re-signed with the San Antonio Spurs to a five-year, $90 million contract.
2015: Took on Larger Offensive Responsibility
From the 2015–16 season on, Kawhi Leonard began taking on a larger offensive responsibility and quickly established himself as one of the most efficient scorers in the league.
2015: Played in Team USA Showcase game
In 2015, Kawhi Leonard played 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 recognized as the Defensive Player of the Year, showcasing his defensive prowess in the NBA.
January 21, 2016: Named All-Star Starter
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: 32-Point Outing Against Heat
On March 23, 2016, Kawhi Leonard scored 32 points in a win over the Miami Heat, helping the Spurs extend their franchise-record home winning streak.
October 25, 2016: Career-High 35 Points in Season Opener
On October 25, 2016, Kawhi Leonard recorded a career-high 35 points and five steals in the Spurs' season opener win over the Golden State Warriors.
2016: Second Consecutive Defensive Player of the Year Award
In 2016, Kawhi Leonard earned the Defensive Player of the Year award for the second consecutive year, solidifying his reputation as an elite defender.
2016: Finalist for Olympic team
In 2016, Kawhi Leonard was a finalist for the United States men's Olympic basketball team roster.
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, becoming the first Spur to record three consecutive 30-point games since Tony Parker in 2012.
February 13, 2017: 32 Points and League-Record Streak
On February 13, 2017, Kawhi Leonard scored 32 points in a win over the Indiana Pacers, extending the Spurs' streak of consecutive winning seasons to a league-record 20.
April 15, 2017: 32 Points in Game 1 vs. 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 After Injury
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, reports surfaced that Kawhi Leonard requested a trade from the Spurs due to disagreements over his injury rehabilitation.
2018: Signed Deal with New Balance
In 2018, Kawhi Leonard reportedly signed a multi-year endorsement deal with New Balance, the multinational sports footwear and apparel corporation, after a previous deal with Air Jordan.
2018: LeBron James scores 748 points in the playoffs
In 2018, LeBron James scored 748 points in a single NBA postseason.
2018: Trade to Toronto Raptors
In 2018, after seven seasons with the San Antonio Spurs, Kawhi Leonard was traded to the Toronto Raptors.
2018: Leonard did not play again in 2018
Kawhi Leonard did not play again in 2018.
January 1, 2019: Career-high 45 points vs Utah Jazz
On January 1, 2019, Kawhi Leonard scored a career-high 45 points in a 122–116 win over the Utah Jazz.
June 2019: Filed Lawsuit Against Nike
In June 2019, Kawhi Leonard filed a federal lawsuit against Nike, alleging that Nike copyrighted Leonard's "Klaw" logo without his consent.
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.
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 for the Clippers
On October 22, 2019, Kawhi Leonard debuted for the Clippers, scoring 30 points in a win over the Los Angeles Lakers.
2019: Raptors win NBA Championship; Leonard named Finals MVP
In 2019, Kawhi Leonard helped the Raptors win the NBA Championship and was named NBA Finals MVP for the second time.
2019: Raptors advance to NBA Finals
In 2019, Kawhi Leonard led the Raptors against the Milwaukee Bucks, helping them advance to the NBA Finals for the first time in franchise history.
2019: Trade to Raptors
In 2019, Kawhi Leonard was traded to the Toronto Raptors.
2019: NBA season suspension due to COVID-19
In 2019, the NBA season was suspended on March 11 due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
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 a win over the Cleveland Cavaliers.
January 2020: Shared Pilot with Kobe Bryant
In January 2020, after the death of Kobe Bryant in a helicopter crash, Kawhi Leonard revealed that he and Bryant shared the same pilot, Ara Zobayan, who also perished in the crash.
February 1, 2020: San Diego State Retires Number 15
On February 1, 2020, San Diego State retired Kawhi Leonard's number 15, making him the first Aztecs men's basketball player to have his jersey retired.
December 22, 2020: Leonard records 26 points in win over Lakers
On December 22, 2020, Kawhi Leonard recorded 26 points and two steals in a 116–109 win over the Los Angeles Lakers.
2020: Finalist for Olympic team
In 2020, Kawhi Leonard was a finalist for the United States men's Olympic basketball team roster.
2020: Clippers eliminated in Western Conference Semifinals
In 2020, the Clippers were eliminated by the Denver Nuggets in the Western Conference semifinals.
May 3, 2021: Announced Hip Hop Album
On May 3, 2021, Kawhi Leonard took to Instagram Live and announced that he would release a hip hop album titled Culture Jam sometime in 2021, describing it as "merging hip-hop and basketball together".
July 23, 2021: Released Songs
On July 23, 2021, Kawhi Leonard released the songs "Waves" and "Everything Different".
August 12, 2021: Leonard re-signs with Clippers
On August 12, 2021, Kawhi Leonard re-signed with the Clippers on a four-year, $176.3 million contract.
2021: Clippers advance to next round of playoffs
In 2021, Kawhi Leonard led the Clippers in the elimination game 6, tying his career-high 45 points and subsequently recorded 28 points, 10 rebounds, nine assists and four steals in the decisive game 7 win, to advance to the next round.
2021: Named to NBA 75th Anniversary Team
In 2021, Kawhi Leonard was named to the NBA 75th Anniversary Team, recognizing him as one of the greatest players in NBA history.
2021: Opt-out clause in contract
In 2021, Leonard's contract with the Clippers included an opt-out clause.
October 3, 2022: Leonard returns from injury
On October 3, 2022, Kawhi Leonard made his return from injury, putting up 11 points in a preseason win over the Trail Blazers.
2022: Father's Murder Still Unsolved
As of 2022, Kawhi Leonard's father's murder is still unsolved.
2022: Leonard leads Clippers to win over Warriors
On February 14, 2022, 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, Leonard scored 33 points on 9-of-12 shooting, 3-of-5 from three and 12-of-12 from the free throw line, along with nine rebounds, four assists and four steals in an 113–101 win over the Dallas Mavericks.
April 2023: Sister Sentenced to Life in Prison
In April 2023, Kawhi Leonard's sister, Kimesha Williams, was sentenced to life in prison after being found guilty of murder.
December 8, 2023: Leonard scores season-high 41 points
On December 8, 2023, Kawhi Leonard scored a season-high 41 points in a win over the Utah Jazz.
January 10, 2024: Leonard signs extension with Clippers
On January 10, 2024, Kawhi Leonard signed an extension with the Clippers for $153 million over 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 and was replaced by Derrick White.
October 17, 2024: Leonard ruled out indefinitely to begin season
On October 17, 2024, it was announced that Kawhi Leonard would be ruled out indefinitely to begin the new season due to inflammation in his right knee.
January 4, 2025: Season Debut
On January 4, 2025, Kawhi Leonard made his season debut after missing the first 34 games, scoring 12 points in a 131–105 win over the Atlanta Hawks.
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