Article: Kawhi Leonard: A rich man, not a changed man

[ILoveOranges]

Wanted to provide visibility for this article. Great piece from Kawhi's alma mater
From Mark Ziegler of The San Diego Union-Tribune
http://www.sandiegouniontribune.com/...contract-sdsu/


Kawhi Leonard: A rich man, not a changed man

SDSU alum enters his fifth NBA season having signed a five-year $94 million “max contract”

Kawhi Leonard signed his new NBA contract – five years, $94,343,130 – in San Diego last July. The San Antonio Spurs legal counsel flew out, and they booked a conference room in the La Jolla Colony apartment complex where the 6-foot-7, 230-pound forward spent his summer.
Leonard showed up wearing workout gear. He was in the middle of shooting drills at a nearby gym, the second of (yes) three daily sessions, and happened to look at the clock and realized he had to be somewhere.He signed the paperwork for the “max contract” that is technically for four years with a player’s option for a fifth and averages to $18.8 million per season. He shook hands. Posed for some quick photos. And then motioned to Taylor Cunningham, his former high school teammate and part of his offseason practice group.They had to go. They had had another hour at the gym.“I was scheduled to work out,” Leonard says, “so I did.”Leonard did “celebrate” with his agent and close friends at a local steakhouse that night, but he politely cut the night short. He had a two-hour session in the weight room at 8 a.m. the next morning, followed by 2½ hours on the court at 11:30, followed by another hour or so of ballhandling and shooting in the late afternoon or evening.“He’ll be knocking on my bedroom door at 7,” Cunningham says. “He’s like, ‘Get up. Let’s go.’ People think we’re going out, having fun, going to parties, going to clubs. It’s not like that. We’re working hard. We go to bed early.”

“I’m just trying to be the best player I can be,” said Leonard, who averaged 19.2 points and shot 53.9 percent (40.6 percent behind the 3-point arc) over the final two months of last season. “I’m just trying to pass Tim Duncan in championships if I can one day. That’s my motivation, that’s what I strive for. Tim is one of the greatest players who has ever played, so if I could get close or reach that plateau and have my name on that list ...”

More at: http://www.sandiegouniontribune.com/...contract-sdsu/

[Cowboys_Wear_Spurs]

Wanted to provide visibility for this article. Great piece from Kawhi's alma mater
From Mark Ziegler of The San Diego Union-Tribune
http://www.sandiegouniontribune.com/...contract-sdsu/


Kawhi Leonard: A rich man, not a changed man

SDSU alum enters his fifth NBA season having signed a five-year $94 million “max contract”

Kawhi Leonard signed his new NBA contract – five years, $94,343,130 – in San Diego last July. The San Antonio Spurs legal counsel flew out, and they booked a conference room in the La Jolla Colony apartment complex where the 6-foot-7, 230-pound forward spent his summer.
Leonard showed up wearing workout gear. He was in the middle of shooting drills at a nearby gym, the second of (yes) three daily sessions, and happened to look at the clock and realized he had to be somewhere.He signed the paperwork for the “max contract” that is technically for four years with a player’s option for a fifth and averages to $18.8 million per season. He shook hands. Posed for some quick photos. And then motioned to Taylor Cunningham, his former high school teammate and part of his offseason practice group.They had to go. They had had another hour at the gym.“I was scheduled to work out,” Leonard says, “so I did.”Leonard did “celebrate” with his agent and close friends at a local steakhouse that night, but he politely cut the night short. He had a two-hour session in the weight room at 8 a.m. the next morning, followed by 2½ hours on the court at 11:30, followed by another hour or so of ballhandling and shooting in the late afternoon or evening.“He’ll be knocking on my bedroom door at 7,” Cunningham says. “He’s like, ‘Get up. Let’s go.’ People think we’re going out, having fun, going to parties, going to clubs. It’s not like that. We’re working hard. We go to bed early.”

“I’m just trying to be the best player I can be,” said Leonard, who averaged 19.2 points and shot 53.9 percent (40.6 percent behind the 3-point arc) over the final two months of last season. “I’m just trying to pass Tim Duncan in championships if I can one day. That’s my motivation, that’s what I strive for. Tim is one of the greatest players who has ever played, so if I could get close or reach that plateau and have my name on that list ...”

More at: http://www.sandiegouniontribune.com/...contract-sdsu/

Kawhi Leonard is like that, something he learned from his father. But there are a load of players that do just that. Kawhi wants to be the best player in the NBA. He said so himself, and you got to hand it to him that he puts the work effort in to do just that.

[TXstbobcat]

I admire his work ethic and his ability to stay humble thoughout the process of becoming star player with a max contract.

[stnick2261]

“I’m just trying to pass Tim Duncan in championships if I can one day. That’s my motivation, that’s what I strive for. Tim is one of the greatest players who has ever played, so if I could get close or reach that plateau and have my name on that list ...”

5 years from now... "Dammit Duncan, retire already so I can catch up in championships"

[Brazil]

I admire his work ethic and his ability to stay humble thoughout the process of becoming star player with a max contract.

[I. Hustle]

I'm trying not to cry. Just so happy

[ILoveOranges]

Kawhi Leonard is like that, something he learned from his father. But there are a load of players that do just that. Kawhi wants to be the best player in the NBA. He said so himself, and you got to hand it to him that he puts the work effort in to do just that.

I couldn't find the video, but I remember when Tracy McGrady hopped on the Spurs for a short period, Popovich basically had McGrady teach Kawhi a bunch of his moves, including his spinaway jumpshot. Kawhi has since made that shot a staple of his game, and if you watch his highlight videos, you can see some of Ginobili and Parker's moves. It's incredibly impressive how he's able to absorb everything he's taught and then use it in a game situation.

Here's an article about how McGrady acted in as a LeBron stand-in for Kawhi to defend:
http://nba.nbcsports.com/2013/06/12/...-lebron-james/

[BillMc]

5 years from now... "Dammit Duncan, retire already so I can catch up in championships"

CIA Duncan refuses to retire so Kawhi can't gain ground.

[YGWHI]

Thanks for posting!


Another good thing of him, Kawhi's loyalty to his friends doesn't slow his development.

He could train with the best, MJ's trainer Tim Grover wanted to work with him, but Kawhi has chosen to spend his summers training with DJ Gay, Tim Shelton, both former SDSU teammates. Also, with Taylor Cunningham, former ML King high school teammate. Inexperienced guys but Kawhi has maintained his focus and kept improving.

[SAGirl]

“I’m just trying to pass Tim Duncan in championships if I can one day. That’s my motivation, that’s what I strive for. Tim is one of the greatest players who has ever played, so if I could get close or reach that plateau and have my name on that list ...”

5 years from now... "Dammit Duncan, retire already so I can catch up in championships"

[apalisoc_9]

one becomes a rich man
the other becomes a fat man

[LongtimeSpursFan]

He needs to work on his passing, dribbling in traffic and finishing at the rim so he can become a complete player.

[james evans]

He needs to work on his passing, dribbling in traffic and finishing at the rim so he can become a complete player.

[Clipper Nation]

one becomes a rich man
the other becomes a fat man

[Spurs9]

I wonder what he drives now

[BillMc]

I admire his work ethic and his ability to stay humble thoughout the process of becoming star player with a max contract.

+1

[letmk]

If he could do what Magic did with Kareem, that'd be aweeeeesome.

[rmt]

Timmy to play till he's 42 now.