San Antonio Spurs

USA Basketball is really high on Kawhi Leonard

Published Aug. 16, 2015 12:34 p.m. ET

foxsports

Kawhi Leonard is one of the NBA's fastest rising superstars. He's yet to make an All-Star team, but Leonard already has one Defensive Player of the Year award and a Finals MVP sitting on his mantle.

After USA Basketball's minicamp in Las Vegas last week, Team USA's head coach, Mike Krzyzewski, and architect, Jerry Colangelo, had nothing but great things to say about Leonard, per San Antonio Express-News reporter Dan McCarney:

"Colangelo: 'Next year is not going to be just a team of scorers. We need guys who can play different roles and give us the strongest, most balanced team. Kawhi is one of the best defenders in the league. He’s a great guy, he has the character we look for in players, and I think he has a legitimate shot at being part of our team.'

Krzyzewski: 'You have to consider Kawhi because he’s one of the best defenders…in the world.'”

It makes sense to include Leonard because he can lock down the opposing team's best scorer and completely erase him, letting guys like James Harden, Kevin Durant and LeBron James worry about scoring and making plays on the other end.

Leonard is also a tremendous rebounder, can create his own shot whenever he wants and is more than capable of accepting a diminished offensive role. He should be a lock to make the 2016 Olympic team.

(h/t: San Antonio Express-News)