National Basketball Association

San Antonio Spurs: Kawhi Leonard Close To New NBA Status

Published Jun. 30, 2017 6:28 p.m. ET

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San Antonio Spurs forward Kawhi Leonard proved against the Golden State Warriors that he can be the best player in the NBA—and it has little to do with numbers.

Kawhi Leonard is the best defensive player in the NBA. He doesn’t need the support of a rim protector to take chances; he doesn’t leave his teammates in a dangerous position by unnecessarily gambling; he doesn’t waver in his effort or intensity; most of all, he doesn’t even let elite scorers play their game.

If the season opener is a sign of things to come, then Leonard could soon be removing the word, “Defensive,” from the previously utilized phrase.

One game doesn’t change a player’s NBA status, but Leonard’s performance against the Golden State Warriors was terrifying. It wasn’t the fact that he set a new career-high in scoring, but the manner in which he did it.

After being exposed as a still-in-progress isolation scorer during the 2016 NBA Playoffs, Leonard has come back with a brand new offensive arsenal.

Again: the development in his skill set is even more significant than the career-high 35 points.

Leonard wasn’t incapable of taking his man off the bounce in 2015-16, but his handles weren’t nearly as polished as they were in the season opener. He could be forced to pick up his dribble and make a pass out of an intended scoring play.

That appeared to be primarily true because he lacked confidence in his ability to execute secondary or tertiary moves.

Against the Warriors, his confidence with the ball in his hands displayed just how much better he could be in 2016-17.

Leonard finished the 2015-16 NBA regular season with statistics that anyone could learn to love. He was efficient in every phase of the game, including his mark of 55.3 percent shooting on drives to the basket.

Overall, Leonard averaged 21.2 points per game on a slash line of .506/.443/.874.

Impressive as that may be, Leonard didn’t have the polished offensive skill set that an offensive superstar requires. He’s proven time and time again that he’s capable of stepping up and providing superstar-caliber performances, but that isn’t superstardom.

Superstardom is being able to do it on a nightly basis, and Leonard hadn’t yet developed his skills to the point of being able to truly lead the offense.

Considering he’s only 25 years of age, that wasn’t something to hold against him.

Leading the Spurs’ offense is a different task than leading the traditional NBA offense. San Antonio preaches ball movement and selflessness, and stars who embrace that are to be praised and not disparaged.

There’s simply no way around that when the Spurs needed quick isolation buckets in the 2016 Western Conference Semifinals, Leonard wasn’t yet prepared to deliver.

Mere months later, Leonard appears more confident than ever with the ball in his hands. He was decisive on the drive, fearless in pulling up off the bounce, and relentless in the manner in which he sought out scoring opportunities.

In what may have been the best performance of his NBA career thus far, Leonard played offense with the same mentality that he plays defense.

That alone should send NBA teams back to the drawing board.

If you’re attempting to quantify his progress, try the fact that Leonard attempted 15 free throw attempts against the Warriors. He exceeded 10 just twice in all of 2015-16, and did it just once during the 2014-15 regular season.

Leonard produced and played with an offensive swagger that he hadn’t yet fully embraced.

Having said this, Leonard has already achieved overall superstar status in the NBA. He’s an NBA champion, a Finals MVP, a two-time Defensive Player of the Year, an All-NBA First Team honoree, a three-time All-Defensive Team selection, and an All-Star.

The only other player in NBA history who has won Finals MVP, two Defensive Player of the Year awards, and made the All-NBA First Team is Hakeem Olajuwon.

Apologies for including my own tweet, but that list needs to be seen to be believed.

Aside from Leonard and Olajuwon, only one other player in NBA history has made the All-NBA First Team, won Finals MVP, and won at least one Defensive Player of the Year award. It wasn’t Kobe Bryant, Tim Duncan, Kevin Garnett, LeBron James, or David Robinson.

That distinction belongs to Michael Jordan.

Having already established himself as one of the most decorated players of his generation, Leonard is now on his way to Best In The World status. To truly be the best, one must be more than efficient; they must be the realistic basketball equivalent of unstoppable.

If Leonard continues to develop his impressive handles, intriguing post game, and smooth pull-up jump shot, he’ll have all of the tools to be one of the Top 5 offensive players in the NBA.

Considering he’s already the best defensive player in the Association, Best In The World status appears to be on the horizon for Kawhi Leonard.

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