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LA Clippers’ Kawhi Leonard named NBA All-Star Game Kobe Bryant MVP

CHICAGO, ILLINOIS - FEBRUARY 16: Kawhi Leonard #2 of Team LeBron celebrates with the trophy after being named the Kobe Bryant MVP during the 69th NBA All-Star Game at the United Center on February 16, 2020 in Chicago, Illinois. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Stacy Revere/Getty Images)
CHICAGO, ILLINOIS - FEBRUARY 16: Kawhi Leonard #2 of Team LeBron celebrates with the trophy after being named the Kobe Bryant MVP during the 69th NBA All-Star Game at the United Center on February 16, 2020 in Chicago, Illinois. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Stacy Revere/Getty Images)

Kawhi Leonard of the LA Clippers was named the NBA All-Star Kobe Bryant Most Valuable Player after he scored 30 points in Team LeBron’s victory.

LA Clippers’ superstar Kawhi Leonard is the first player to receive the newly named NBA All-Star Kobe Bryant Most Valuable Player.

He was voted by fans as the MVP of the 2020 All-Star game following his game-high 30 point performance. He connected on eight three-pointers, pulled down seven rebounds, dished out four assists and had two steals in route to helping Team LeBron win 157-155.

If you missed the game, I highly suggest watching it (at a minimum, the fourth quarter). The new format made the players more competitive at the end of each quarter and with the goal score of 157 points set in the fourth, the defense came out to play.

Leonard did most of his scoring early on but had a key steal late in the third when he ripped the ball away from Joel Embiid seconds after he had secured a defensive rebound.

After the game, Kawhi appeared on Inside the NBA and said he really didn’t go out there with the mindset that he was going to win MVP. Instead, he just connected on his first two threes and said he figured that he would keep shooting until he missed.

By winning this award, Kawhi joins Michael Jordan as the only two players to ever win Defensive Player of the Year, Finals MVP, and All-Star MVP.

With this being the first year that the All-Star MVP trophy honor’s Kobe Bryant’s legacy, Kawhi also noted how special it was to have the award and that it would have a special place among his trophies. He had worked with Kobe over the past couple of seasons, even going to his Mamba Pro Invitational this past summer.

Now that All-Star Weekend has come to a close, Kawhi can get some much-needed rest before heading back to work with the LA Clippers. The team will look to get healthy and find consistency in their last 27 games as they make the final push for playoff seeding and ultimately an NBA championship.

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