Kawhi Leonard is an enigma to most people. He has been given the nickname of “cyborg” by analysts and players. He is a rare example of a player that is one of the best in his profession, and yet doesn’t have a big personality behind the big talent. Leonard is a 2-time Finals MVP and a former defensive player-of-the-year just to name a couple of his illustrious accolades. Lately, however, Leonard has been subject to some scrutiny due to his team’s disappointing semi-finals loss against an inferior Denver Nuggets squad in the 2019 NBA playoffs. Leonard and the Clippers blew a 3-1 lead and Kawhi put up an anemic 14 points in a deciding game seven.
In the past, I have seen Leonard dominate and be the best player on a San Antonio and Toronto team. Leonard is the best two-way player in the NBA who can put up 25 points on a nightly basis and lockdown his opponent’s best player. One thing I have observed in his last few seasons, while Kawhi may be the best player on his team, he is not the leader. Leaders must be vocals and be able to inspire their comrades. Leonard doesn’t make others better like a good leader should. He is great at doing his job, but can you help others do theirs?
While Kawhi may be content going on as is, there are some solutions to his lack of the right leadership skills. One would be to lead by example. Kawhi has been in complete control of when he wants to play and practice. The best leaders and players want to play every second they can which shows their commitment to the game. Another would be to become more vocal and inspire and hold his teammates accountable. The best players of all-time like Lebron and Jordan are infamous for holding their teammates to a high standard.
What would I suggest to Kawhi? Yes, do both the things that were just suggested. If you look at the greatest players ever, they were determined, vocal, and held their teammates to the highest standard possible. If Kawhi wants to be looked at in the upper-echelon of NBA greats, which I am sure he does, he needs to do these things. If he can, his squad will no doubt win some chips in his future.
What do you think about Kawhi’s disposition? Is he fine the way he is? Should he become more vocal? Let me know in the comment section below.
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