2011 Draft Prospect: Kawhi Leonard

[Bruno]

http://www.sdnn.com/files/2010/03/kawhi-leonard-400x313.jpg
Height: 6-7
Weight: 225 lbs
Birthday: 06/29/1991
College: San Diego State

DraftExpress (http://www.draftexpress.com/profile/Kawhi-Leonard-5821/)
nbadraft (http://www.nbadraft.net/players/kawhi-leonard)

[baseline bum]

He declared yesterday and said he will hire an agent.

http://goaztecs.cstv.com/sports/m-baskbl/spec-rel/041411aah.html

[ace3g]

Blood, sweat and tears: Kawhi Leonard and his path to the pros, at SI.com - http://bit.ly/lgY4G5

[ChuckD]

Sigh. There always seems to be a "can't miss" SF picked in the top 10 that does. Hopefully, Kahwi breaks the mold.

[Spurtacus]

Welcome. Don't suck.

[blkroadrunners]

Welcome. Don't suck.

Por favor.

Why does that sound so familiar...

[TimmehC]

Worst case Mbah a Moute? Holy fuck.

[jesterbobman]

We can guard small ball fours/Big 3's now. Leonard should be able to develop as a shooter and helps our rebounding. I think he was comfortably inside the top 10, and wouldn't have been shocked anywhere after 6.

[Hooks]

We can guard small ball fours/Big 3's now. Leonard should be able to develop as a shooter and helps our rebounding. I think he was comfortably inside the top 10, and wouldn't have been shocked anywhere after 6.


6qiP1zeSY0

[ace3g]

_6qiP1zeSY0&feature=youtu.be
BA1GYjD1yHo&feature=player_embedded

[AFBlue]

Defense, motor, willingness to improve...all things "Spur".

[DesignatedT]

Really like this kid.

[Spurtacus]

Positives

Explosive leaper
Freakishly long arms
Good, developing body
Incredible motor
Excellent rebounder
Developing offensive player

Negatives

A bit of a tweener
Lacks great lateral quickness
Needs to improve perimeter game
Can disappear in games

June 7 Update: Leonard started working out for the first time on Sunday. He had an excellent workout in Charlotte against a number of top forwards including Jordan Hamilton, Chris Singleton and Tobias Harris.

His next big test comes on Tuesday in Washington with the Wizards. Leonard is a guy the Wizards are looking at very closely with the sixth pick in the draft. A great workout there could seal the deal.

He also has an intriguing workout next week with the Cavs. While No. 4 seems high for Leonard, don't totally discount it. One Cavs source says he's in the mix. He fits a need, can play right now and still has upside.

May 28 Update: Leonard tested poorly in Chicago. He had a 32-inch maximum vertical. He had a subpar 11.45 second lane agility drill. He bench pressed 185 pounds three times. Those aren't great numbers for a 6-7 swingman with a reputation as a great athlete.

While Leonard was never regarded as the most explosive athlete in the draft, it's hard, if you watched him at San Diego State, to come to the conclusion that he's a below-average athlete. Leonard plays an athletic game on both ends of the floor. He's not Shawn Marion, but he's not less athletic than Kevin Love. No way.

Kevin Durant also struggled in this setting and much was made about it before the draft. If you watched his highlight reel dunk against the Mavs this week, it's pretty hard to make the argument he's a poor athlete.

One theory about Leonard's poor testing is that he did not warm up prior to doing the test. Because Leonard skipped drills, he sat in a freezing gym (and it was freezing) for an hour and then went straight to the tests. I saw this happen and we commented on it when we were broadcasting the combine. Everyone else had gotten 45 minutes of drill work in to loosen up. It makes a difference.

May 26 Update: In a bit of a surprise, Leonard measured only a 32-inch vertical and could bench the 185-pound bar only three times.

May 23 Update: Leonard skipped the NBA draft combine drills on Thursday and Friday, but decided on Friday morning to put on a shooting show for NBA executives as they walked in the gym. As I reported last week, Leonard has been working on his jump shot and was shooting very well in Vegas. He also shot the ball well in the brief 15 minutes or so before the combine began and had quite a crowd of NBA GMs and execs watching closely.

His measurements (7-3 wingspan and 8-10 standing reach) were good enough as well to make him a plausible (though slightly undersized) NBA power forward. He measured bigger than Blake Griffin and on par with Kevin Love. So even if the shooting thing doesn't work out, his rebounding prowess and motor might allow him to make a living at the 4.

May 12 Update: Kawhi Leonard is a big-time prospect. The San Diego State forward remains a bit of an enigma to NBA scouts. He ranked as just the 56th-best high school prospect in the class of 2009 by ESPNU and didn't really come on until his senior year in high school.

As a freshman he drew raves for his athletic ability, motor and rebounding, but scouts struggled to see exactly how he fit at the next level. Last season he helped lead the Aztecs to one of the best records in college basketball and drew serious attention from scouts. But after the season, the NBA was still largely split on what his pro potential was.

While we had Leonard in the top 14 of our Big Board most of the year, a number of NBA executives were much more pessimistic about his future. They pointed to his "tweener" status and subpar perimeter shooting as concerns. A few weeks ago, one GM told me he thought Leonard was, at best, a role player at the next level.

I respectfully disagree, as do a handful of NBA execs and scouts. I was blown away by Leonard at the workouts. Not only is his physical profile impressive (huge hands, long wing span, NBA body), but also he's much more skilled than your typical high-energy forward.

Leonard has been working on his jump shot since the season ended and was stroking it from NBA 3-point range the two days I was in the gym. And he demonstrated excellent ball-handling skills for a player his size -- both are prerequisites for an NBA small forward. He also has the ability to guard the 2, 3 and 4 at the next level.

Leonard proved to be a real gym rat as well. He was the first guy in the gym and the last one to leave both days I was there. On Tuesday I arrived at 9 a.m. and left at 5:30 -- Leonard was there the whole time working on various things; he must have shot 1,000 jumpers.

I've been trying to find a good NBA comp for him all year, and I think the best may be the Blazers' Gerald Wallace. Leonard has the same type of motor and toughness and is more skilled than you think. If he keeps shooting the ball like he did Tuesday and Wednesday, I believe he could end up being a top-5 pick in the draft. We've moved him up to No. 5 on our Big Board after seeing what he brings to the table.

He may not be a superstar at the next level, but it's hard to figure how he misses as a 10-year NBA player with that work ethic, physical profile and motor.

Apr 14 Update: Leonard has declared for the 2011 NBA Draft. Leonard is one of the most unique players in the country. He can play both the three and the four thanks to long arms, excellent athleticism and a great motor. He's a terrific rebounder as well. He doesn't have a polished offensive game yet, but there's a lot of potential there. He could be a Shawn Marion-type player. A likely lottery pick.

Mar 15 Update: The Good: A long, athletic forward with huge hands, a great motor and the ability to score from just about everywhere. He's a great rebounder too.

The Bad: Another player without a well-defined position. Ideally he'd be a few inches taller. He's not a great shooter yet. Can disappear sometimes in big games.

The Upside: Last year we had Leonard listed as a sleeper. Now that he plays on the No. 6 team in the country, that sort of talk has died down. But now the expectations may be almost too high for him. He's still developing his game offensively, but when you watch him, it's hard not to see what makes him special. NBA scouts love guys with intangibles, and Leonard appears to have them.

[Biggems]

Dude turns 20 next week. Joseph turns 20 in September. Bentras turns like 19 sometime soon. Ryan Richards is on his way to 20. James Anderson and DeJuan are around 22 this season. Spurs loading up on youth that can compliment each other.

and that guy from Hungary is only 21-22

[Spurtacus]

Chad Ford had Kawhi ranked #7 overall and projected to the Bobcats at #9. So Spurs got him at 15.

We know he's a great rebounder and has a great work ethic. My concern is his offensive game. 44% shooter last year and doesn't have much of a perimeter game.

[Uriel]

Hollinger's Draft Rater had him at #5, behind only Irving, Williams, Tristan Thompson, and Valanciunas.

[DesignatedT]

He's definitely has some work to do offensively but the pros way outweigh the cons with this kid.

[Mr. Body]

I didn't even take much of a look at Kawhi, thinking he was out of our range. Was getting nervous about all this Euro-Lithuanian talk. Couldn't be happier with the pick.

[DesignatedT]

The following are quotes from Kawhi Leonard following his selection in the NBA Draft.

Q. Kawhi, what does it feel like?
Kawhi Leonard: I feel great right now. I got picked to be on an NBA team. I worked hard. I finally accomplished my dream now, but it's not over yet. I've got a lot of work to do to make an impact in the league, and I'm ready to do any type of work I've got to do.

Q. There were reports that the Pacers and the Spurs have made a deal sending you to San Antonio; if true, how would you feel playing in San Antonio?
Kawhi Leonard: I feel good. I had a meeting with them, and I got a great vibe from them. Just any team I'm on, I'm happy with right now. I'm just going in, trying to do whatever the coach wants me to do to make the team successful.

Q. If that report isn't correct, you're going to a Pacer team that has a lot of players of your position, small forwards. What can you do to separate yourself and get yourself on the floor?
Kawhi Leonard: I can do a lot on the court. I'm very versatile. The coach drafted me, and he must have a plan in his head, and whatever his plan is, I'm ready for it.

Q. Your emphasis on rebounding in defense, talk about with the Pacers that, can get you immediate playing time, because they struggled on the defensive end, in the post, especially. Talk about how you're looking forward to that opportunity?
Kawhi Leonard: Yes, I take pride in defense. I'm just going to go in, do the same thing I did in college, get some rebounds and help my teammates find ways to win games.

[xellos88330]

Again, the Spurs draft 3 players that didn't have a full page of conversation on Spurstalk before draft night.

I think Bertans did. Or did you mean in the main forum?

[xellos88330]

We drafted 4 players. 3 of the 4 didn't get full pages.

Oh yea... derp derp.... :P

[xellos88330]

Supposedly this guy has the ability to score in the post with regularity. If it holds true in the NBA, this kid will be a mismatch in the Spurs favor on both sides of the floor. He can provide a halfcourt option if playing an up tempo style of play which (judging from the personnel at this point in time) exploiting his size advantage against most of the 3 guard lineups teams use to counter the Spurs attack and disrupt transition/early offense.

Last season, the Spurs rebounders weren't controlling the ball very well and it was often tipped around. This kid with his height, wingspan, HUGE hands, and apparent knack for rebounding, could very well solve a majority of this problem granting the Spurs extra possessions or actually completing a defensive sequence. If his effort and energy are as good as advertised, I am completely thrilled with this pickup and a great move by the FO.

[TDMVPDPOY]

We drafted 4 players. 3 of the 4 didn't get full pages.

the last time we did any through research on players, they all got picked ahead of our pick, lets just say i reckon some other teams scouts troll here for info

[ace3g]

JMcDonald_SAEN Jeff McDonald
Kawai Leonard and Corey Joseph are expetcted to arrive Saturday.

[Spurtacus]

If Pop plays this guy with Blair/Bonner I will throw up.

[k_nguyen93]

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[DesignatedT]

If Pop plays Blair/Bonner I will throw up.

fify

[Tyrone Jenkins]

Kwahi is EXACTLY the type of player the Spurs needed. The last time the Spurs had a SF score more than 15 pts a game was Sean E (98-99). Since then, it's been defensive minded, rebounding hustle players like Bowen, Stephen Jackson and Glenn Robinson. RJ was an attempt to add a 4th scoring option but failed - can't blame the FO for trying.

Kwahi says he PRIDES himself on defense. Given TP, Anderson, Splitter and perhaps Ryan Richards or Bertans play well together for the next 3-5 years, then I'm cool w/ that.

[MR.SILVER&BLack]

Im all for getting back to D, but the spurs need to add a defensive PF in the off season or its small ball again. Whos our starting 2 next year? Is it Neal, Anderson.....do we move RJ to the SG...Manu has got to go to the bench and play less than 25mpg.

I like the trade but we need to make another deal if we are gonna contend.

im still confidente that they will still try to move rj. im seeing the spurs being a missing piece in a 3 or 4 team trade.

[mystargtr34]

http://images.maxpreps.com/site_images/editorial/article/c/a/4/ca496a71-6926-de11-a973-001cc494dda6/6c860da9-6e26-de11-a973-001cc494dda6_original.jpg

[mystargtr34]

Dude has some hands.

[Tyrone Jenkins]

im still confidente that they will still try to move rj. im seeing the spurs being a missing piece in a 3 or 4 team trade.

RJ isn't going anywhere. Pre-draft, the Spurs tried to trade RJ as part of a package w/ TP - as you can see, neither moved anywhere. The only reason they were trying to trade TP was to get rid of RJ...the FO never really wanted to trade TP.

James Anderson or DeSean Butler should start at SG next year (if DB heals) as both won't be required to do much but shoot and play defense. TP can lead the team and Timmy can get Splitter, Blair and whomever else ends up playing the 4 or 5 on track.

The KEY position for the Spurs is the 3. Someone who can guard other prominent SFs (Wilson Chandler, Rudy Gay, Lamar Odom, Caron Butler, Lebron, Melo, etc.) w/ some degree of succes AND who can muscle up to PFs like Zack Randolph, Lamar Odom, Blake Griffin, LeMarcus Aldridge, Kenyon Marti, etc. whenever the Spurs go small AND get rebounds, hustle buckets and overall just play hard.

Leonard is the ONE guy in the draft that is supposed to embrace that type of play. He did it at SD State and is now going to a contending team which should motivate him even more.

There's a reason he was targeted by the FO. Buford and Pop didn't really want to trade GHill either - but a potential starting 3 (that possessed all the right features needed) was to much to pass up. If Hill is sacrificed, then sobeit.

[ace3g]

spurs San Antonio Spurs
Watch the full Kawhi Leonard and Cory Joseph introductory press conference here - http://j.mp/jCLxaf


JoeAlexander210 Joe Alexander
New Spurs Kawhi Leonard and Cory Joseph with their jerseys. http://twitpic.com/5gr10q

spurs San Antonio Spurs
Kawhi Leonard tells us what to expect from him in a Spurs uniform. Watch here - http://youtu.be/ZQqjsVuv7fg #GoSpursGo

[k_nguyen93]

Big hands poor shooters.


_6qiP1zeSY0
That is all.

[Tyrone Jenkins]

Yeah, he's not a shooter all right...he's not horrible but he's no Dirk or Ray Allen.

But, that's certainly not what he was drafted for.

[ace3g]

Kawhi sees rebounding, defensive role model in Rodman
http://blog.mysanantonio.com/spursnation/2011/06/25/could-leonard-be-the-next-rodman-in-terms-of-work-ethic/

[jesterbobman]

DX had a finding a niche for Kawhi Leonard piece(http://www.draftexpress.com/article/Finding-a-Niche-For-Kawhi-Leonard-3695/), with a ~7 minute video showing strengths and weaknesses, which is a good summary. The other thing I found interesting in their scouting when I re-read it is...


The ideal setting for Leonard as a rookie would likely be one next to a slew of shooters who can push tempo and score one-on-one. Though he may not have the tools to be an high-level option from day one on the NBA-level, his ability to get up the floor, crash the glass, and do a little bit of everything would fit well on a team with a defined offensive hierarchy in their backcourt. He has the tools to excel in a fast break oriented system that would allow him to get out and run,


Given we have good depth at guard, and they can shoot well and Manu, TP and Neal can create their own shots, that seems like a close fit.

[ace3g]

Leonard’s long road reaches S.A.

http://blog.mysanantonio.com/spursnation/2011/06/25/leonard%E2%80%99s-long-road-reaches-s-a/

[objective]

It's weird, the talk about his game and skills has been all over the map.

for instance, to talk down his defense, I've heard critics say that he got killed by Jimmer in 2 of the 3 games they played. And I've heard pro-Leonard people talk about how in the 1 game SDSU won it was due to Leonard on Jimmer. And I've heard Jimmer defenders pump Jimmer up by talking about how he killed such a great defender in Leonard in 2 games.

And for all the talk about him being a tweener at PF and SF . . . how many PFs are put on guys like Jimmer and come away ahead even one out of three? Yes he rebounds like a PF, and has some postgame, and didn't shoot well from distance in college . . . but on defense for him to be trusted to defend the top scorer in college is noteworthy.

If he can run around with Jimmer, even if he was outmatched, that speaks for how well he should be able to transition to guarding NBA SFs and a lot of SGs for that matter.

[DarkGinobili]

:ihit

[jesterbobman]

I think the rebounding and the fact that he's long gives the impression he can guard SOME 4's. You wouldn't put him on a Randolph, who'd just muscle him on the post, but on perimeter fours(Jamison/Ryan Anderson types) he could do a good job, and we wouldn't be as weak rebounding wise as when we played Jefferson there as a response.
Really, he should be guarding 3's most of the time, though I could see him switching onto some other perimeter guys to bother them, depending on the team, and whether the benefit of switching Kawhi down is greater than what we lose with a SG switching to the SF.

[Tyrone Jenkins]

It's weird, the talk about his game and skills has been all over the map.

for instance, to talk down his defense, I've heard critics say that he got killed by Jimmer in 2 of the 3 games they played. And I've heard pro-Leonard people talk about how in the 1 game SDSU won it was due to Leonard on Jimmer. And I've heard Jimmer defenders pump Jimmer up by talking about how he killed such a great defender in Leonard in 2 games.

And for all the talk about him being a tweener at PF and SF . . . how many PFs are put on guys like Jimmer and come away ahead even one out of three? Yes he rebounds like a PF, and has some postgame, and didn't shoot well from distance in college . . . but on defense for him to be trusted to defend the top scorer in college is noteworthy.

If he can run around with Jimmer, even if he was outmatched, that speaks for how well he should be able to transition to guarding NBA SFs and a lot of SGs for that matter.

Nice quote - however, I don't think Leonard will be asked to guard the likes of Kobe, Jimmer, etc. Having the SF defend the SG would mean the SG would have to defend the SF of the other team. Anderson does a decent job of defense so I'd leave it up to him to defend SGs.

Leonard is a SF - not doubt about it. His game dictates it. His willingness to defend multiple positions and do the dirty work is completely small forward like. If he can improve his ball handling, he'd be a good point-forward option in a few years but don't think his decision making will ever get that elite.

[Mel_13]

Between the RJ hate and the fascination with the shiny, new player we're bound to see calls for moving Leonard into the starting line-up, but it's not going to happen. Not because Pop won't play rookies, but because 20 year old players rarely start on playoff teams.

Just look at the 16 playoff teams from last season and find all the starters younger than 22. There were just two, and they were on the two playoff teams that failed to achieve a winning record.

Patience.

[ChuckD]

That's a myth.

Yeah. Both Tim and David have absolute meat hooks, and they both have soft accurate jumpers out to 20 feet.

[benefactor]

lol going to be a coach and still believing bullshit like "big hands = bad jumpshot."

[benefactor]

Congrats...you just said some of the dumbest shit ever.

[Tyrone Jenkins]

Fellas, fellas...

Regardless of hand size, finger length, shoe size, dick size...none of that matters. Shooters are shooters because of 2 things - hand eye coordination and techique. Some peoples are better than others - plain and simple. Leonard's isn't horrible but it isn't great either. Otherwise, we'd see more evidence.

Why you'll are debating that, I have no idea...

[yavozerb]

Fellas, fellas...

Regardless of hand size, finger length, shoe size, dick size...none of that matters. Shooters are shooters because of 2 things - hand eye coordination and techique. Some peoples are better than others - plain and simple. Leonard's isn't horrible but it isn't great either. Otherwise, we'd see more evidence.

Why you'll are debating that, I have no idea...

:lol, could not have said any better myself TJ..Nice

[ChuckD]

No its not, Why do you think the messure hands at the combine.? Dont confuse long fingers with big Hands.


Both Tim and David have absolute meat hooks, and they both have soft accurate jumpers out to 20 feet.

Oh, and they don't measure the palm, they measure the span from the tip of the thumb to the tip of the pinkie, extended. No way to tell if someone just has "long fingers" from that measurement.

[benefactor]

Don't bother man. Half of his posts are just shit he throws at the wall hoping it will stick.

[xellos88330]

Big hands = bad shooter is a myth.

If you ask me, having big hands is a huge advantage as you have more surface area that can control the ball before release.

[SenorSpur]

Big hands = bad shooter is a myth.

If you ask me, having big hands is a huge advantage as you have more surface area that can control the ball before release.

I don't know where all this is coming from. He's not the first kid with a large hand size. Julius Erving and Michael Jordan were notorious for their unusually "HUGE" hands, and that didn't seem to hinder their evolution from being questionable shooters to good midranger shooters.

Besides, the kid didn't appear to be a bad midrange shooter in the college clips I saw. No big deal.

[ElNono]

If any of you visit the NBA Store on 5th Ave in NYC, they have some cement basketballs with hands from players imprinted on them. There's some really cool ones, like Timmy, and Shaq. But one that stands out is Allen Iverson. He has huge hands for his small frame.

[Tyrone Jenkins]

We go from discussing Kawhi Leonard to mentioning cement basketballs.

Gotta love the morph...

[stxspurs]

Well hands aside, I like the guy alot, and he seems to love the game. I think he could be a top 10 defender from day one, and certainly give us some help on the boards.

Idk if they want him to be a shooter but rather a rebound/defender...if he is anything like rodman like some say ,I want him on the boards ...I would take him getting 20 rebs a game rather than scoring

[ElNono]

We go from discussing Kawhi Leonard to mentioning cement basketballs.

Gotta love the morph...

Let me get back on topic by saying I hope he doesn't have cement hands (a la Nazr) :lol

[SenorSpur]

Idk if they want him to be a shooter but rather a rebound/defender...if he is anything like rodman like some say ,I want him on the boards ...I would take him getting 20 rebs a game rather than scoring

With his length, size and motor, he could easily and very quickly emerge as one of the top defensive SFs very soon. With some extensive work on his offensive game, he could, over the course of time, become one of premeire SFs in the NBA.

[bluebellmaniac]

With his length, size and motor,

I've been seeing this term a lot wrt Leonard.... Here is my ignorance... What are we referring to when we say "motor"?

Thanks!

[SenorSpur]

I've been seeing this term a lot wrt Leonard.... Here is my ignorance... What are we referring to when we say "motor"?

Thanks!

The term "motor", when attached to any athlete, simply means that the guy is never stops hustling, never takes plays off and fights tooth and nail on every play.

In a basketball sense, it ususally means that a guy "crashes the glass" with reckless abandon on every single possession, contests every shot, tracks down every loose ball, and defends his man with a consistently high-level level of aggression. Loosely translated, that's what it means.

[bluebellmaniac]

The term "motor", when attached to any athlete, simply means that the guy is never stops hustling, never takes plays off and fights tooth and nail on every play.

In a basketball sense, it ususally means that a guy "crashes the glass" with reckless abandon on every single possession, contests every shot, tracks down every loose ball, and defends his man with a consistently high-level level of aggression. Loosely translated, that's what it means.

Ahhhhhh! Thanks SenorSpur! The comments using that word now make much more sense. It's also no wonder I haven't heard it much, it's a word associated w Manu-like hustle which is too rare in the league.

That's a huge compliment to Leonard. Hope the lockout is short, now I'm really excited to see him play.

[SenorSpur]

Ahhhhhh! Thanks SenorSpur! The comments using that word now make much more sense. It's also no wonder I haven't heard it much, it's a word associated w Manu-like hustle which is too rare in the league.

That's a huge compliment to Leonard. Hope the lockout is short, now I'm really excited to see him play.

Yeah, it really is a huge compliment to him, but it speaks more to his natural desire and intensity, as a player. It's really about a player naturally putting forth high energy output every time, all the time. It's not something you train for. You either have it or you don't.

Some current players, who could be described as having high motors are Derrick Rose, Kevin Love, Tony Allen, Zach Randolph, and of course, our very own Manu Ginobili.

The level of intensity and the type high motor they play with is usually quite hard to sustain over the grind of the regular season and because of the superior level of skill at the professional level. Therefore, it's a very common practice for a lot of players to take plays off, even take games off. When players are younger, they may take plays and games off by choice. As players get older and the body fails to bounce back as quickly, they take plays and games off out of necessity. However for these unique "high-motor"-type of players, it's the only way they know how to play. That's what makes them special.

As a young pup coming out of college, and only having experienced a 30+ game schedule, maintaining a consistent level of play will be his true test and his challenge. Fortunately for him, he's coming to an organization where he will get great coaching, strength training and team support. I believe he will be just fine and I believe we're all in for a treat - uh whenever the NBA decides to open for business.

[Tyrone Jenkins]

I like guys described as having a motor because it means they have heart and desire...

Every coach knows, rebounding and defense are about 15% knowledge, 25% athleticism and 60% will and determination. There are lots of guys who are shorter relatively (like Blair) who have average jumping ability and above average instincts. But they have heart and determination that makes them want to stop the offense and grab rebounds. That aggressiveness and spirit often fires up the team and inspires the fans.

Every coach knows that they can yell, scream, plead, talk calmly or even cry but there really isn't anything they can do to motivate another player to play defense and want to bang down low on the boards. And, for Popovich, there really isn't a player on the Spurs team that has the athleticism and will besides Manu.

I don't care if Leonard scores as few as 7 ppg as long as he can hold Kevin Durant, Wilson Chandler, Lebron, Melo and Rudy Gay to under 35% shooting from the field when he's in the game.

[ace3g]

Spurs' Leonard working out in Vegas

With the NBA lockout in full effect, many NBA players and soon-to-be rookies have either been playing summer ball in Pro-Am leagues, gearing up for the FIBA summer games, or talking with their agents about the possibility of playing overseas.

However, San Antonio Spurs rookie Kawhi Leonard has been relatively quiet during this lockout.

Leonard was acquired in a deal on draft night that sent fan favorite George Hill to Indiana. And although Hill is thinking about taking his talents overseas during the lockout, Leonard (via The Salt Lake Tribune) has kept himself in the states working out in of all places, Las Vegas.

Since the season ended, Wesley moved to Las Vegas for 10 weeks for a stint with Impact Training that included a number of high profile stars including Jacob Pullen of Kansas State, Kawhi Leonard of San Diego State and Alec Burks of Colorodo.

It's great to know Leonard has been quietly working out stateside and no news has yet to surface of him talking with teams overseas. So far, Leonard and rookie Cory Joespeh have yet to sign rookie contracts, so if they were to go overseas, I'm sure an opt-out clause will be in order.


http://projectspurs.com/2011-articles/august/spurs-leonard-just-finished-working-out-in-vegas.html

[5in10]

Him and James Anderson are on the same team playing at impact basketball league.http://espn.go.com/nba/story/_/id/6960823/nba-impact-league-rosters-schedule

Anyone know where we can find boxscores or watch it streaming?

[The Great Fantastic]

Apparently they are not streaming today. Hopefully in a day or two, but I have no idea and there is no true info. Kawhi is only playing the first week.

[The Great Fantastic]

Found the info here: http://twitter.com/#!/impactbball

[5in10]

Boxscore:https://docs.google.com/spreadsheet/ccc?key=0AtjIXqHyH09QdFZoMElpdVdzVmc2UFlNNldkdExPM UE&hl=en_US#gid=0

Think this is it. Not bad numbers from anderson and leonard. Doesnt look like much defense was played.

[ace3g]

Unraveling the Kawhi Leonard mystery


Anderson’s take on Leonard, a the 6-foot-7 small forward: ”He’ll definitely add more energy and youth to our team. He has a lot of defensive skills. He can also get out and run the floor, and help us bring in more rebounds. He’ll help us out on both ends.”

Leonard’s offensive game remains a work in progress, according to those who have seen him this summer, but he did use a rebuilt shooting stroke to hit two of the four 3-pointers he attempted in a limited engagement at the Impact Basketball Competitive Training series in Las Vegas. Then, like Bigfoot, he disappeared into the mist (or home to San Diego) before most of the gathered media had descended on Sin City.

http://blog.mysanantonio.com/spursnation/2011/09/16/unraveling-the-kawhi-leonard-mystery/

[ace3g]

Spurs' Kawhi Leonard turns off arena lights for NBA lockout workouts


San Diego State coach Steve Fisher discusses a story about San Antonio/ex-Aztecs forward Kawhi Leonard during a press conference Wednesday in Provo.

Fisher: … Nobody is in the gym more than Kawhi. People said, 'Well, can he shoot the ball?' He can shoot the ball at the NBA level. No one's worked harder on his shot than Kawhi. He's living in San Diego still. I had our AD call me up a couple weeks ago when I was gone. He said, 'Coach, we've got an issue with Kawhi in the arena. Event management called and the lights are not on, and Kawhi's in the arena for two straight days at 6:30 in the morning. And he brought two lamps from home, and he put them up in the arena and shot.' And that is a true story.

http://www.sltrib.com/sltrib/blogsjazznotes/52622802-62/kawhi-arena-san-ball.html.csp

[Anonymous Cowherd]

Great attitude.

[Hooks]

Article from Bleacherreport:

5 Reasons Kawhi Leonard can win ROY:

http://bleacherreport.com/articles/909948-san-antonio-spurs-5-reasons-kawhi-leonard-can-win-rookie-of-the-year



As well as a breakdown of Kawhi's strengths and weaknesses:

http://nbaplaybook.com/2011/10/17/draft-pick-scouting-report-15-kawhi-leonard/

[monkeypunk]

Harder to slash when you're playing the 4...

:bang

[Bruno]

Leonard has been drafted as a SF. If you doubt it, check RC post draft interview.

[Brazil]

Article from Bleacherreport:

5 Reasons Kawhi Leonard can win ROY:

http://bleacherreport.com/articles/909948-san-antonio-spurs-5-reasons-kawhi-leonard-can-win-rookie-of-the-year



As well as a breakdown of Kawhi's strengths and weaknesses:

http://nbaplaybook.com/2011/10/17/draft-pick-scouting-report-15-kawhi-leonard/

On reason Kawhi cannot win ROY:

decertification

[The Great Fantastic]

http://sports.yahoo.com/nba/news?slug=aw-wojnarowski_nba_lockout_owners_call_111611

Kawhi already showing his tenacity! Press them owners!!!

Carmelo Anthony(notes), Kevin Durant(notes), Chauncey Billups(notes), Kawhi Leonard(notes) and Leon Powe(notes) were listed as plaintiffs in the suit filed in Oakland, Calif. The initial case management conference for the suit is scheduled for Feb. 29, 2012, but can be moved up, court officials said.

[dylankerouac]

Any talk of Kawhi going overseas? Is it too risky with him not having a current contract?

[5in10]

Roy

[yavozerb]

Roy

ROY for any spurs player is always difficult due to pop.

[apalisoc_9]

Sigh. There always seems to be a "can't miss" SF picked in the top 10 that does. Hopefully, Kahwi breaks the mold.

You got what you hope for.


Hollinger's Draft Rater had him at #5, behind only Irving, Williams, Tristan Thompson, and Valanciunas.

Man, hollinger is a stud.

[look_at_g_shred]

Steal!

[jesterbobman]

On Kawhi Leonard and stats:

http://www.d3coder.com/thecity/ezpm-player-ratings/

This is Evan Zamir's(@thecity2 & @nbawowy) EZPM. In total WARP based on EZPM, Kawhi was 18th in the league based on the total of regular season and playoffs. He played fewer possessions than everyone above him except Chris Paul, was first amongst Rookies and sophomores in WARP(Drummond ahead per minute), and the only rookie contract guys above him are Curry and Paul George.

Kawhi Leonard is 21. This is madness.

[Mal]

Welcome. Don't suck.

bump

[Uriel]

Kawhi could go on to become the 2nd best player in this draft after Irving.

[100%duncan]

Thank You Bird.

[bobcatfan4life]

Kawhi could go on to become the 2nd best player in this draft after Irving.

He's already the 2nd best, he's chasing THE best.

[100%duncan]

Kawhi could go on to become the 2nd best player in this draft after Irving.

:lol Irving :lol

He already is the best player on this draft.

[Drom John]

Ignoring playoffs which improves the evaluation of Leonard, by regular season Win Shares Leonard is already the best player in the 2011 draft:

1) Kawhi Leonard
2) Kenneth Faried
3) Chandler Parsons
4) Isaiah Thomas
5) Kyrie Irving
6) Jimmy Butler
7) Klay Thompson
8) Tristan Thompson
9) Nikola Vukevic
10) Jonas Valunciunas
11) Kemba Walker
12) Markieff Morris
13) Reggie Jackson
14) Derrick Williams

25) Cory Joseph

[SanDiegoSpursFan]

2011 draft was pretty good when you look at it now. Not star-loaded but there's a shit ton of decent players in there.

[exstatic]

Good video at this DX link comparing Kawhi in college with now.

http://www.draftexpress.com/article/The-Evolution-of-Kawhi-Leonard--from-San-Diego-State-to-San-Antonio-4615

[jesterbobman]

That DX video is great. Comparing his shot from then to now is incredible. Ugly then, great now.