Kawhi Leonard - Scintillating Scorer 16/17 Part 1

Kawhi Leonard. NBA Champion. NBA Finals MVP. 2x NBA All-Star. All-NBA First Team in 2016. 2x DEFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE YEAR. This season was San Antonio’s first without the transcendent talent of Tim Duncan, but the Spurs haven’t missed a beat. The franchise recorded 61 wins this year, making it the first time in their storied history that they’ve had two straight 60 win seasons. That is in no small part thanks to the ascendence of Kawhi Leonard’s offensive output. Kawhi finished 9th in scoring, ahead of elite scorers like Steph Curry, Kyrie Irving, Kevin Durant, Jimmy Butler, and Paul George, with the 3rd best Player Efficiency Rating (PER) in the entire league. 25.5 points per game in incredibly efficient fashion (48.5% from the field, 88.0% from the line, 38.1% from 3 on 5 3 point FG attempts per game) is no joke. While Draymond Green might be the most versatile defender in the NBA with his ability to clamp up each position, Kawhi is certainly the league's most dominant defender for the positions he does guard. The Klaw has gone from silently stalking his prey, to one of the top predators, to full-on becoming THE PREDATOR, practical and primal, yet somehow absurdly advanced.
Fear. Kawhi instills a sense of fear in the players he defends; they know that he will take the ball away from them at some point, it’s just a matter of when. It is also what he seems to lack on the offensive end. He attacks any and every defender with a fearlessness that some could regard as disrespectful. He sizes opponents up, knowing his athleticism and herculean hands can rip to the rim, and either beats them to the basket, or breaks to his spots. His jumper may never be the silkiest looking stroke, but his fadeaway is reminiscent of a few former MVPs (specifically the one Kawhi probably watched a lot growing up, being that he's an LA native after all). San Antonio's magnificent motion gets Leonard great looks, but he’s just as comfortable getting the ball when the clock is running down, and making something out of nothing. The argument against him is that he is a star in a system, but so is the sun, and both shine rather brightly anyway. Yes, he operates within the offense, but his abilities are obviously what take it from ordinary to overpowering for the Spurs.
*Description from June of 2017.

[@charrlesbobrewer]

I just love when he drives and finishes “ ahhhhyyyy”

[@omnilord93]

Thanks for reuploading

[@an7d7y]

Dill Chips 💯

[@lemuellachica4991]

His speed is underrated and deceptive

[@Fiive14]

Hey what happened to that last Paul George vid?

[@sahirde]

Damn I'm early af

[@Robertedwinhouse38]

My defense is pretty comparable to kawhi in my opinion

[@GamerStar-kk3bo]

Mine too

[@Fiive14]

Early.. been waiting for this

[@sahirde]

Same lmao

[@EvinGualberto]

Jalyn McCoy for the reupload?

[@Fiive14]

Evin Gualberto yea I couldn’t find this or the superb Paul George joint.

[@EvinGualberto]

Jalyn McCoy ah. I feel you. Still trying to reupload that one properly. It keeps getting taken down before it’s even published

[@jrlifestyle5269]

Good Defense Very Good Offence