History of Kawhi Leonard in Timeline

Kawhi Leonard is a professional basketball player for the Los Angeles Clippers, renowned as one of the NBA's greatest two-way players. A two-time NBA champion and Finals MVP, he has also been selected as a seven-time All-Star and six-time All-NBA Team member. Known as "The Claw" for his defensive prowess and large hands, Leonard has earned seven All-Defensive Team selections and won Defensive Player of the Year twice (2015, 2016). His accomplishments led to his inclusion in the NBA 75th Anniversary Team in 2021.

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

1980: Magic Johnson's Finals MVP

In 1980, Magic Johnson won the NBA Finals MVP at 20 years and 278 days old.

1982: Magic Johnson's Second Finals MVP

In 1982, Magic Johnson won his second NBA Finals MVP at 22 years and 298 days old.

1986: Mike Mitchell's Scoring Streak

In 1986, Mike Mitchell achieved a scoring streak for the San Antonio Spurs, a feat later surpassed by Kawhi Leonard in 2017.

1989: Dennis Rodman's First Defensive Player of the Year Award

In 1989-90 season, Dennis Rodman won the first of two consecutive Defensive Player of the Year awards.

1990: Dennis Rodman's Second Defensive Player of the Year Award

In 1990-91 season, Dennis Rodman won the second of two consecutive Defensive Player of the Year awards.

June 29, 1991: Kawhi Leonard's Birth

On June 29, 1991, Kawhi Anthony Leonard was born. He is now known as a professional basketball player for the Los Angeles Clippers.

Others born on this day/year

1992: Michael Jordan's 759 Playoff Points

In 1992, Michael Jordan scored 759 points in the playoffs. He had more points than Kawhi Leonard's 732 points in the 2019 playoffs.

2001: Vince Carter's 50-point Playoff Game

In 2001, Vince Carter scored 50 points in a playoff game for the Raptors, a feat that Leonard would later join.

2002: Tim Duncan's Scoring Streak

In 2002-03, Tim Duncan had a long streak of scoring in double figures for the San Antonio Spurs, matching the streak of Kawhi Leonard in 2017.

2004: Chauncey Billups Finals MVP

In 2004, Chauncey Billups won the NBA Finals MVP award.

2005: Spurs' Previous Best Season

In the 2005-06 season, the Spurs had a 63-win season, which was topped in 2016 with Kawhi Leonard as a key player.

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, California. The murder was never solved, and Leonard insisted on playing the next evening.

2009: Freshman Year at San Diego State

In 2009, Kawhi Leonard began his freshman year at San Diego State University.

2009: Recruiting Rankings

In 2009, Kawhi Leonard was considered a four-star recruit by Rivals.com, ranking as the No. 8 small forward and No. 48 player nationwide.

2010: MWC Tournament Title and NCAA Tournament Bid

In 2010, Kawhi Leonard helped San Diego State win the Mountain West Conference (MWC) tournament, securing an automatic bid to the NCAA tournament. He was also named MWC Freshman of the Year, First Team All-MWC, and the 2010 MWC tournament MVP.

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 NBA lockout.

2011: NBA Draft and Trade to Spurs

In 2011, Kawhi Leonard was drafted by the Indiana Pacers as the 15th overall pick, but was immediately traded to the San Antonio Spurs on draft night.

2011: NBA Scouts' Assessments

In 2011, NBA scouts recognized Kawhi Leonard's strong work ethic and physical attributes, but found him "difficult to pin down," viewing him as more of a defensive and rebounding player.

2011: Entered the NBA Draft

In 2011, after a successful sophomore season, Kawhi Leonard left San Diego State University to enter the NBA draft.

October 26, 2012: Spurs Exercised Team Option

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

2012: NBA All-Rookie First Team

At the end of the 2012 season, Kawhi Leonard was named to the NBA All-Rookie First Team, recognizing his strong performance during his rookie year.

2012: Rising Stars Challenge Selection and Starting Position

In 2012, Kawhi Leonard was selected for the Rising Stars Challenge, although he didn't play due to a calf strain. He was later promoted to the starting small forward position for the Spurs.

2012: Tony Parker's 30-Point Games Streak

In 2012, Tony Parker had a streak of consecutive 30-point games for the Spurs, a feat matched by Kawhi Leonard in 2017.

2012: Select Team Training

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: Contract Extension

Kawhi Leonard's contract was extended through the 2013-14 season after the Spurs exercised their team option on October 26, 2012.

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 in NBA Finals

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

November 10, 2014: Season High 26 Points Against Clippers

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

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.

2014: Spurs Home Winning Streak

In 2014, the Spurs started a franchise-record home winning streak that was extended thanks to Kawhi Leonard's contribution on March 23, 2016.

January 16, 2015: Return from Injury with 20 Points

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 the Spurs

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

2015: Defensive Player of the Year

In 2015, Kawhi Leonard was honored as the Defensive Player of the Year, which is one of his career milestones.

January 21, 2016: First All-Star Selection

On January 21, 2016, Kawhi Leonard was named a starter for the Western Conference team in the 2016 All-Star Game, marking 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 against the Miami Heat, helping the Spurs extend their franchise-record home winning streak.

October 25, 2016: Career-High 35 Points

On October 25, 2016, Kawhi Leonard recorded a career-high 35 points in a win against the Golden State Warriors.

2016: Second Consecutive Defensive Player of the Year Award

In 2016, Kawhi Leonard received the Defensive Player of the Year award for the second consecutive year, cementing his status as a top defender in the NBA.

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 since Tony Parker in 2012 to record three consecutive 30-point games.

February 13, 2017: 32 Points Against Pacers

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

April 15, 2017: Postseason High with 32 Points

On April 15, 2017, Kawhi Leonard matched his postseason high with 32 points in Game 1 of the playoff series against the Memphis Grizzlies.

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: Trade request from Spurs

In June 2018, reports indicated that Kawhi Leonard requested a trade from the Spurs following months of tension and disagreement over his injury rehabilitation, with the Los Angeles Lakers as his preferred destination.

2018: Extended Absence Due to Injury

In 2018, Kawhi Leonard did not play after January 13th, continuing to rehabilitate from a right quadriceps tendinopathy. There were reports of tension and emotional meetings with teammates regarding his return.

2018: LeBron James' 748 Playoff Points

In 2018, LeBron James scored 748 points in the playoffs. He had more points than Kawhi Leonard's 732 points in the 2019 playoffs.

2018: Trade to Toronto Raptors

In 2018, after playing seven seasons with the San Antonio Spurs, Kawhi Leonard was traded to the Toronto Raptors.

January 1, 2019: Career-High 45 Points

On January 1, 2019, Kawhi Leonard achieved a then career-high of 45 points in a 122–116 victory over the Utah Jazz.

July 10, 2019: Signs with Los Angeles Clippers

On July 10, 2019, Kawhi Leonard signed with the Los Angeles Clippers for a reported three-year, $103 million contract. The Clippers also acquired Paul George.

July 2019: Signed with the Los Angeles Clippers

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

October 22, 2019: Clippers Debut

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

2019: NBA Champion and Finals MVP

In 2019, Kawhi Leonard led the Toronto Raptors to their first NBA championship and was named NBA Finals MVP for the second time, becoming the third player to win the award with two different teams.

2019: Trade to Raptors

In 2019, Kawhi Leonard was traded to the Toronto Raptors along with Danny Green. The Spurs received DeMar DeRozan, Jakob Pöltl, and a protected 2019 first-round draft pick in return.

2019: Raptors advance to NBA Finals

In the 2019 NBA playoffs, Leonard led the Raptors to victory over the Milwaukee Bucks, securing their place in the NBA Finals. Leonard had a huge dunk on Giannis Antetokounmpo.

January 14, 2020: Season-High 43 Points

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

February 1, 2020: San Diego State Retired Jersey

On February 1, 2020, San Diego State retired Kawhi Leonard's number 15 jersey, marking a significant honor in his basketball career.

December 22, 2020: Season Opener Win

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

2020: NBA Bubble and Playoffs

In 2020, Kawhi Leonard and the Clippers participated in the NBA Bubble after the season was suspended due to the COVID-19 pandemic, and the Clippers were eventually eliminated by the Denver Nuggets in the Western Conference semifinals.

May 3, 2021: Instagram Live and Album Announcement

On May 3, 2021, Kawhi Leonard made his Instagram Live debut, announcing the release of his hip hop album "Culture Jam" later that year. He shared a snippet of the track "Everything Different" featuring YoungBoy Never Broke Again and Rod Wave.

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August 12, 2021: Re-signs with Clippers

On August 12, 2021, Kawhi Leonard re-signed with the Clippers to a four-year, $176.3 million contract.

2021: All-Defensive Team selection

In 2021, Kawhi Leonard led the Clippers to a 47-25 record. After his stellar play, he was awarded with his seventh All-Defensive Team selection and fifth All-NBA Team selection, third All-NBA First Team.

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 2021, Kawhi Leonard's contract included an opt-out clause.

October 3, 2022: Return from Injury

On October 3, 2022, Kawhi Leonard made his return from injury in a preseason game against the Trail Blazers.

2022: Eighth Career NBA Player of the Week Award

In 2022, Kawhi Leonard earned his eighth career NBA Player of the Week Award.

January 10, 2023: 33 points against Mavericks

On January 10, 2023, Leonard scored 33 points in a 113-101 win over the Dallas Mavericks.

December 8, 2023: Season-High 41 Points

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

January 10, 2024: Contract Extension

On January 10, 2024, Kawhi Leonard signed a contract extension with the Clippers.

July 10, 2024: Withdrawal from Olympic Roster

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

October 17, 2024: Ruled Out Indefinitely

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, scoring 12 points in a 131–105 victory over the Atlanta Hawks.

September 3, 2025: Involvement in Aspiration Scandal

On September 3, 2025, Kawhi Leonard was implicated in a scandal regarding a deal with Aspiration, a bankrupt environmental company. Allegations surfaced about a $28 million "no-show" endorsement deal and additional company stock, leading to an NBA investigation.

October 31, 2025: Game-Winning Shot

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

January 1, 2026: 45-Point Game Against Jazz

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