History of Kawhi Leonard in Timeline
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 a two-time NBA champion, six-time All-Star, and six-time All-NBA Team member. Leonard's exceptional two-way play has earned him seven All-Defensive Team selections and two Defensive Player of the Year awards. He was also named to the NBA 75th Anniversary Team, solidifying his place among basketball's elite.
1980: Magic Johnson Wins Finals MVP
In 1980, Magic Johnson won the NBA Finals MVP at the age of 20 years and 278 days.
1982: Magic Johnson Wins Finals MVP Again
In 1982, Magic Johnson won the NBA Finals MVP again at the age of 22 years and 298 days.
1986: Last San Antonio Player To Score at Least 30 in Six Straight Games Before Leonard
In 1986, Mike Mitchell was the last San Antonio player to score at least 30 in six straight games before Kawhi Leonard.
1989: Dennis Rodman wins first of back-to-back Defensive Player of the Year awards
During the 1989-90 NBA season, Dennis Rodman won the first of back-to-back Defensive Player of the Year awards.
1990: Dennis Rodman wins second consecutive Defensive Player of the Year award
During the 1990-91 NBA season, Dennis Rodman won his second consecutive Defensive Player of the Year award.
June 29, 1991: Kawhi Leonard Born
On June 29, 1991, Kawhi Anthony Leonard was born. He is now a professional basketball player for the Los Angeles Clippers in the NBA.
2002: Tim Duncan's Streak of Games Scoring in Double Figures
In 2002-03, Tim Duncan achieved San Antonio's longest streak of scoring in double figures, matching Kawhi Leonard's 91 straight games in 2017.
2004: Chauncey Billups Wins Finals MVP
In 2004, Chauncey Billups won the NBA Finals MVP in a season when he was not an All-Star.
2005: Spurs Beat Record of 63 Wins
During the 2005-06 NBA season, the Spurs reached 63 wins, and Kawhi later helped the Spurs surpass this record.
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
In 2009, Kawhi Leonard began his freshman year at San Diego State University.
2009: Ranked as a Four-Star Recruit
In 2009, Kawhi Leonard was considered a four-star recruit by Rivals.com, ranking as the No. 8 small forward and the No. 48 player nationwide.
2010: MWC Freshman of the Year
In 2010, Kawhi Leonard was named MWC Freshman of the Year, First Team All-MWC, and the MWC tournament MVP. He averaged 12.7 points and 9.9 rebounds per game, helping the Aztecs win the Mountain West Conference tournament title and receive an automatic bid to the NCAA tournament.
December 10, 2011: Signed with San Antonio Spurs
On December 10, 2011, following the conclusion of the NBA lockout, Kawhi Leonard signed a multi-year deal with the San Antonio Spurs.
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." His game was compared to Metta World Peace and Gerald Wallace, with concerns about his outside shooting.
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: NBA All-Rookie First Team
At the end of the 2012 season, Kawhi Leonard was named to the NBA All-Rookie First Team and placed fourth in Rookie of the Year voting.
2012: Selected for USA Men's Basketball 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 he did not play due to a calf strain. He was promoted to the starting small forward position for the Spurs after Richard Jefferson's trade.
2012: Last Spur to Record Three Consecutive 30-Point Games Before Leonard
In 2012, Tony Parker was the last Spur to record three consecutive 30-point games before Kawhi Leonard.
2013: Contract Extension
In 2013, the Spurs exercised their option to extend Kawhi Leonard's contract.
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. He finished the season averaging 12.8 points and helped the Spurs to a 62–20 record, earning a spot on the NBA All-Defensive Second Team.
June 10, 2014: Career-High 29 Points in NBA Finals Game 3
On June 10, 2014, during game 3 of the NBA Finals against the Miami Heat, Kawhi Leonard scored a then career-high 29 points in a 111–92 victory. He went on to win the series 4-1 and be named NBA Finals MVP.
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 still suffering from blurred vision due to an eye infection.
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: Franchise-Record Home Winning Streak
In the 2014-15 season, the Spurs extended their franchise-record home winning streak.
January 16, 2015: Return from Injury with 20 Points
On January 16, 2015, Kawhi Leonard returned to action after missing 15 games due to an injured right hand, recording 20 points, 4 rebounds, 5 assists, and 3 steals 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 to a five-year, $90 million contract.
2015: Took on Larger Offensive Responsibility
From the 2015–16 season on, Leonard began taking on a larger offensive responsibility and quickly established himself as one of the most efficient scorers in the league.
2015: Defensive Player of the Year
In 2015, Kawhi Leonard was honored as the Defensive Player of the Year for his outstanding defensive abilities in the NBA.
2015: Played in Team USA Showcase Game
In 2015, Leonard played in Team USA's Showcase game, scoring 14 points for the USA White Team.
January 21, 2016: Named All-Star Starter
On January 21, 2016, Kawhi Leonard was named as a starter for the Western Conference team in the 2016 All-Star Game, earning his first All-Star selection.
March 23, 2016: 32-Point Game Against Miami Heat
On March 23, 2016, Kawhi Leonard scored 32 points in a 112–88 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 Against Warriors
On October 25, 2016, Kawhi Leonard recorded a career-high 35 points and five steals in a 129–100 win over 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, recognizing his exceptional defensive skills in the NBA.
2016: Finalist for Olympic Basketball Team
In 2016, 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 108–105 loss to the Phoenix Suns. He was the first Spur to record three consecutive 30-point games since Tony Parker in 2012.
February 13, 2017: 32 Points Against Indiana Pacers
On February 13, 2017, Kawhi Leonard scored 32 points in a 110–106 win over the Indiana Pacers, marking his fifth straight 30-point game. The Spurs' victory also extended their streak of consecutive winning seasons to a league-record 20.
April 15, 2017: 32 Points Against Memphis Grizzlies
On April 15, 2017, Kawhi Leonard matched his postseason high with 32 points in a 111–82 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 indicating that Kawhi Leonard had requested a trade from the San Antonio Spurs, following months of tension rooted in disagreements over his injury rehabilitation program.
2018: Quadriceps Injury Rehabilitation
In 2018, Kawhi Leonard did not play again to continue his rehabilitation process from right quadriceps tendinopathy.
2018: Traded to Toronto Raptors
In 2018, Kawhi Leonard was traded to the Toronto Raptors after playing seven seasons with the San Antonio Spurs.
2018: Signed Endorsement Deal with New Balance
In 2018, Leonard reportedly signed a multi-year endorsement deal with New Balance, the multinational sports footwear and apparel corporation. Previously, he had signed with Air Jordan brand, a subsidiary of Nike.
January 1, 2019: Leonard Scores Career-High 45 Points
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, 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 his hometown team, the Los Angeles Clippers, including an opt-out clause in 2021.
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 Clippers
On October 22, 2019, Kawhi Leonard debuted for the Clippers, recording 30 points, 6 rebounds, and 5 assists in a 112–102 win over the Los Angeles Lakers.
2019: Improved Passing Game
In the 2019–20 season, 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.
January 2020: Shared Pilot with Kobe Bryant
In January 2020, following the death of Kobe Bryant in a helicopter crash, Leonard revealed that he and Bryant shared the same pilot, Ara Zobayan, who also perished in the crash along with Bryant and seven others.
February 1, 2020: Jersey Retired by San Diego State
On February 1, 2020, San Diego State retired Kawhi Leonard's number 15, marking him as the first Aztecs men's basketball player to have his jersey retired.
December 22, 2020: Leonard Records 26 Points in Season Opener
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: Finalist for Olympic Basketball Team
In 2020, Leonard was a finalist for the United States men's Olympic basketball team roster.
May 3, 2021: Announced Hip Hop Album
On May 3, 2021, Leonard announced on Instagram Live that he will release a hip hop album titled Culture Jam sometime in 2021. He shared a snippet of "Everything Different" featuring YoungBoy Never Broke Again and Rod Wave. The album will benefit a charitable organization created in memory of Kobe and Gianna Bryant.
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, after opting out of the final year of his original contract, Kawhi Leonard re-signed with the Clippers on a max four-year, $176.3 million contract with the fourth year being a player option.
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: Ranked 34th Greatest Player in NBA History
In 2021, The Athletic ranked their top 75 players of all time to commemorate the NBA's 75th Anniversary, naming Leonard as the 34th greatest player in NBA history.
October 3, 2022: Leonard Returns From Injury in Preseason Game
On October 3, 2022, Kawhi Leonard made his return from injury, putting up 11 points, four rebounds, two assists, and two steals in a 102–97 preseason win over the Trail Blazers.
January 10, 2023: Leonard Scores 33 Points Against Mavericks
On January 10, 2023, Kawhi Leonard scored 33 points on 9-of-12 shooting, along with nine rebounds, four assists and four steals in a 113–101 win over the Dallas Mavericks.
April 2023: Sister's Sentencing
In April 2023, Kawhi Leonard's sister, Kimesha Williams, was sentenced to life in prison after being found guilty of an unrelated murder.
December 8, 2023: Leonard Scores Season-High 41 Points Against Jazz
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 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, 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.
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.
2025: Father's Murder Still Unsolved
As of 2025, the murder of Kawhi Leonard's father, Mark Leonard, on January 18, 2008, is still unsolved.
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