Kawhi Leonard: A perfect deal for the San Antonio Spurs - NBA Update
On the 2011 NBA Draft night, the 2010 Mountain West Conference Men's Basketball Tournament’s Most Valuable Player and leading rebounder, Kawhi Leonard was picked up by the Indiana Pacers as the 15th overall pick.
The very same night, Pacers traded Leonard to the San Antonio Spurs along with the rights of the 42nd overall pick and in return got point guard George Hill. While one feels for Hill, who had been the part of the Spurs
legacy from the very time he set foot in NBA, this is a win-win situation for both the Spurs and Leonard.
For the Spurs, this is being as the first step towards rebuilding a young team around their veteran roster while Leonard has got the chance to play for a team that has established itself as a giant of the Western Conference during
the last decade.
On accomplishing his dream a jubilant Leonard said about San Antonio that, "I guess I just fitted their type of scheme."
The youngster is determined to make his mark in the league. However, he admitted that the draft is just the first step and he still has a long way to go.
The Spurs were the top team in the Western Conference during the last regular season with 61-21 record. However, the Spurs failed to live up to their reputation in the playoffs and were knocked out by the eighth seeded Memphis
Grizzlies in the very first round. There were many reason for the meltdown, but one thing that stood out the most was the team’s fragility on the D.
With the inclusion of Leonard the Spurs believe they have done the right thing to cover the deficiency in their defence. The 2009 Mr. Basketball California is a ruthless rebounder and has a 7 ft. 1 wing span to cover different
positions. In his last season with the Aztec, Leonard scored at an average of 14.1 points, clutched 10.2 rebounds in each, and punched 40 double-doubles.
And what’s better is that the young post sensation is rearing to go, “I feel good. I had a meeting with them, and I got a great vibe from them. Just any team I’m on, I’m happy with right now. I’m just going in, trying to do whatever
the coach wants me to do to make the team successful.”
Kawhi guided Aztec to 34 victories, as San Diego State University set a new school record and also made it to the sweet 16 round in the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Tournament.
After achieving several awards at the collegiate level, the young forward is now all set to make his name amongst the established stars of the Spurs like Tony Parker, Tim Duncan and Manu Ginobili.
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