“It is the unemotional, reserved, calm, detached warrior who wins, not the hothead seeking vengeance and not the ambitious seeker of fortune.”
Kawhi has been a winner his entire career. From early-on with San Antonio he has built a winning pedigree that followed him to his single season in Toronto, which brought the city their first NBA title, to Los Angeles, where he has the Clippers in a position to contend for many years to come.
He is a two-time NBA Champion and Finals MVP, a four-time All-Star, three-time member of the All-NBA team, five-time NBA All-Defensive team, two-time Defensive Player of the year, and the 2019-20 All-Star game MVP.
He continues to rack up team and individual success in the NBA while also continuing to be an enigma off the court.
From what Lou Williams recently said, it is likely that he may be trolling us all. We may never get to know the “real” Kawhi Leonard. And that might be just how he wants it. That may be something he reserves for his teammates, friends, and close acquaintances. It may be something he keeps personal, because it is personal.
In a world where our sports and entertainment superstars are more present in our lives than ever, where social media has brought us into their lives behind the scenes, Leonard remains a mystery. One that he has created himself.
We can be fans of his game, and marvel at his performance on the court without ever getting a peak behind the curtain into his private life.
And in a way, for that, Leonard wins yet again.