Part of Leonard's effectiveness within the offense comes from his ability to realize his role, one as a spot-up shooter, cutter and ball-mover on the perimeter. Even after Pop mentioned that Kawhi could be the future "face of the Spurs," Leonard maintained his quiet modesty.
"Yeah, I heard it," he told ESPNLosAngeles.com's Ramona Shelburne during the Finals. "But it doesn't mean anything to me right now. I'm a role player, and we're competing for a championship this year. Whatever unfolds in the years to come is what happens."
Shooting:He's probably not going to pull up on you or cross you over and then chuck up a fadeaway. No, Kawhi kills you off the ball, finds space, lets others create and sinks three ball after three ball, hitting 38.2 percent of his catch-and-shoot threes this past season.
Leonard couldn't always shoot. Quite the opposite, actually. In college, he was relatively incapable of scoring away from the hoop.
Chip Engelland is just another hot name stemming from Pop's bench after his work with Leonard, Danny Green and Parker thrust him into the public eye. Now, new coaches like Steve Kerr and Quin Snyder are going after him. And Leonard is the main trophy in Engelland's case.
At San Diego State, Leonard used to bring the ball back over his head when he shot. Any coach will tell you that's the wrong way to go about it, considering it can make your release slower while also killing accuracy. Now, Engelland has taught him to keep it more in front of his forehead, and the accuracy has paid off majorly.
In a way, Leonard's shooting has to do with confidence as much as anything else. I know, seems too simple, doesn't it?
DefenseThe defensive end is where Leonard makes his money. Guarding larger wings on a nightly basis allows the Spurs to operate exactly how they prefer.
A common misconception about Leonard is that he is an elite athlete, which isn't completely true. He's a solid athlete, someone who can hold his own when he guards the Kevin Durants and LeBron Jameses of the world, but he's not a top-tier guy, as partly evidenced by his mediocre 32-inch vertical at the NBA combine.
He's not someone who's always going to dunk on guys in traffic—though he'll certainly try. And he's not someone who is going to come skying in help defense to block shots. Instead, Leonard uses the athleticism he has to stick with guys on the ball and lets his smarts take care of the rest.
The Spurs' bigs sag back on the pick-and-roll often, especially when Duncan's man is setting a pick. (When Tiago Splitter's man lays a screen, they're a little more aggressive.) Leonard's intelligence on the pick-and-roll allows the Spurs to play that more conservative style, sagging off the ball-handler and forcing him into uncomfortable, mid-range shots off the dribble.
Leonard has this uncanny ability to beat a ball-handler to a spot and then body check the offensive player to cut off his driving lane. Part of why he's so capable in that sense is because of his ability to fight over screens and stay within an arm's length of the dribbler.
It's a learned skill, but Leonard is already elite against the pick-and-roll. Considering offensive players shot just 34.1 percent from the field when they isolated against him this past season, per Synergy, it's not just Leonard's smarts that make him a deserving All-Defense Team member, though he's never actually been named to one of those squads.
He may only be 6'7", but a 7'3" wingspan makes him a beast on the ball. Plus, those hands. Yes, those ginormous hands.
The always insightful Zach Lowe of Grantland brands Leonard a "Mirror Guy":
A Mirror Guy reacts to the moves of his mark, both on and off the ball, with such perfect timing and balance that it almost appears as if the offensive player is working against his own reflection. Kawhi Leonard might be emerging as the league’s best perimeter Mirror Guy.
Kawhi's massive paws make that style much easier to execute. Still, it's more about carrying out what they call "scouting report defense." He simply knows the opposition's tendencies, and because of that along with his physical tools, the 23-year-old is well on his way to becoming the NBA's best perimeter defender (if he isn't already there).
Conclusion:That's the difference between Kawhi and your average superstar: We usually evaluate superstars on how they take over with the rock in their hands: James, Carmelo Anthony, Durant, Chris Paul, etc.
All those guys are ball-dominant players. Leonard has a chance to reach some of those guys in quality, but he may have a superstar ceiling—at least in reputation—lower than any of them because of his style.
Kawhi is basically the NBA's premiere 3-and-D player.
