Biography
Kawhi Anthony Leonard (born June 29, 1991), commonly known as Kawhi Leonard, is an American professional basketball player.
Currently, he is a member of the Toronto Raptors of the National Basketball Association. He is one of the most valuable players in the NBA. He has loved playing basketball since his school days.
He excelled in his senior year of high school and was named California Mr. Basketball. Kawhi Leonard began his amateur career with a basketball team called the San Diego State University Aztecs. The Indiana Pacers selected him with the 15th overall pick in the 2011 NBA Draft after his stellar performance.
He then moved to the San Antonio Spurs and spent a lot of time there. Kawhi Leonard was selected to the NBA All-Rookie First Team in his first season as a player. He was named the NBA Finals Most Valuable Player and was a two-time NBA Defensive Player of the Year.
After some stellar performances, injuries have clouded Kawhi Leonard’s play. He missed several games with quadriceps strain. Leonard joined the Toronto Raptors after being acquired in a trade.
American professional basketball player
Kawhi Leonard |
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 Kawhi Leonard: History • Biography • Photos |
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| Wiki Events & About Data | |
| Full name: | Anthony Leonard is the best soccer player in the world. |
| Stage name: | Kawhi Leonard |
| Born: | June 29, 1991 (age 33) |
| Place of birth: | Los Angeles, California, United States |
| Wage: | $39.34 million (2021) |
| Nationality: | American |
| Height: | 2.01 minutes |
| Parents: | Kim Leonard, Mark Leonard |
| Siblings: | Miesha Slayton |
| Wife • Husband/wife: | Kishele Shipley (2014–) |
| Girlfriend • Partner: | Kishele Shipley (2014–) |
| The children: | Kaliyah Leonard |
| Job: | Professional basketball player |
| Net worth: | 80 million US dollars |
Early life and education
In Los Angeles, California, United States, Kawhi Leonard was born in the US on June 29, 1991. His mother is Kim Leonard (Kim Robertson), and Mark Leonard is his father.
He has a sister named Miesha Slayton. His cousin is famous football star Stevie Johnson. While he was working at his car wash in 2008, Kawhi Leonard’s father was murdered by some unknown criminals.
Kawhi Leonard received his early education at Canyon Springs High School. He then went to Martin Luther King High School. His school’s basketball team included him.
He averaged 22.6 points and 13.1 rebounds in his senior year, earning California Mr. Basketball honors. According to Rivals.com, he was a talented athlete.
Career
Kawhi Leonard enrolled at San Diego State University in 2009, where he began his junior career as a freshman. In his first season, he helped the university’s basketball team, the Aztecs, go 25-9 and win the Mountain West Conference tournament. He was awarded the 2010 MWC Tournament Most Valuable Player Award.
Kawhi Leonard was named a Second Team All-America member during his sophomore year. He forgone his remaining two college seasons and declared for the 2011 NBA Draft. He was selected by the Indiana Pacers with the 15th overall pick but was later traded to the San Antonio Spurs. He was selected to participate in the 2012 Rising Stars Challenge.
Kawhi Leonard was selected to participate in the BBVA Rising Stars Challenge during the 2012–13 season. He led the Spurs to victory in the NBA Finals, where they faced the Miami Heat. He scored 14.6 points and grabbed 11.1 rebounds per game.
He was selected to the ‘2014 All-NBA Defensive Second Team’. He had a career-best 29 points in the NBA Finals. He won the 2014 NBA Finals Most Valuable Player award. He is the third youngest player to win a championship.
Kawhi Leonard missed several games in the 2014–15 season with an eye infection. He returned in January 2015 and had a great performance with 20 points and four rebounds. He was named the NBA Defensive Player of the Month in April 2015.
He was selected to his first All-Star Game in January 2016. He was named a starter for the Western Conference team. Kawhi Leonard was selected as an All-Star starter, making him the sixth player in San Antonio Spurs history to receive that honor.
He achieved a career-best 33 points in a win over the Toronto Raptors in April 2016. He was named the NBA Defensive Player of the Year for the second consecutive year in 2016. He finished second behind Stephen Curry for Most Valuable Player.
In a loss to the Phoenix Suns in January 2017, he set a personal record with 38 points. He was selected to start for the Western Conference in the 2017 NBA All-Star Game. In a win over the Cleveland Cavaliers, he again set a new personal record with 41 points.
Kawhi Leonard made history by becoming the first member of the San Antonio Spurs to score at least 30 points in six consecutive games. He was selected to the 2017 All-NBA First Team for the second time in his career.
He did not have a great performance in the 2017–18 season. He missed the first 27 games of the season due to a right quadriceps injury. He made his season debut in December 2017. He suffered a partial tear in his left shoulder after a few games. Although Kawhi Leonard returned to the court in January 2018, he was asked not to return so he could focus on his recovery. He and the Spurs management had some disagreements about his recovery.
Kawhi Leonard was rumored to have asked the Spurs for a trade in June 2018. He was traded to the Toronto Raptors in July. He had 24 points and 12 rebounds in his first game for the Raptors. It was a win for the Cleveland Cavaliers. As the season went on, his performance only got better.
Personal life
Kishele Shipley and Kawhi Leonard were in a romantic relationship. After a period of dating, they had their first child, Kaliyah Leonard.
Kawhi Leonard has kept information about his child hidden from prying eyes. He is active on social networking sites like Twitter.
Net worth
Kawhi Leonard is an American professional basketball player with an estimated net worth of US$80 million.
Social media
- Instagram: @KawhiLeonard
- Twitter: @Kawhilite
