Paul George praises Kawhi Leonard as a teammate

From a distance, Kawhi Leonard can come across as aloof.

Throughout the course of an NBA game, no matter how high the stakes, Leonard stoically handles his business. Sure, the former two-time Defensive Player of the Year will dive for loose balls, attack with vigor on the offensive end, and play pristine one-on-one defense, but seldom does his emotions change.

In addition to his apathetic demeanor, rarely is Leonard seen engaging in conversation with his teammates on the court. Even as Leonard spent the entire 2021-22 season plastered on the bench as he recovered from a torn ACL, he showed little to no emotion as he took in the sights during LA Clippers games.

On the outside looking in, Leonard’s relationship with his LA teammates would appear to be nonexistent. However, Paul George, Leonard’s All-Star running mate, has grown sick and tired of the character assassination of Leonard. Not only does George reveal that Leonard’s connection with his teammates is misunderstood, but in actuality, Leonard is one of the best teammates he’s ever had in his career.

“He’s just a great dude,” said George during a recent interview with current teammate, Serge Ibaka. “I think people don’t really know him but if you get a chance to know him, he’s like an awesome teammate.”

Kawhi Leonard is one helluva teammate says Paul George

Over the past three seasons, Leonard and George have shared the same locker room with one another, while battling it out with some of the better teams in the Western Conference. Although Leonard was unable to throw on his LA uniform and compete by George’s side, the two continued their bound off the court.

In George’s view, their defensive tenacity and midrange dependent game aren’t the only similarities they share. In fact, when the cameras aren’t rolling George divulges that both he and Leonard have numerous off-court memories, including, something as simple as kicking up their feet with their respective families around while doing everything but talking about basketball.

“We kick it, we kick it. We share a lot of interests. We got little kids almost the same thing so we just do daddy things.”