“10 Out of 10!”: Kawhi Leonard Highlights ‘Oscar Dreams’ While Starring in NBA’s ‘The Heist’ for In-Season Tournament

The NBA is bringing in some new changes this season, which includes the introduction of the In-Season Tournament. This new format of the game brings a whole new dimension to the competition, giving teams the option to win multiple accolades in a single season.

To promote this new tournament format, the NBA has released a promo trailer called ‘THE HEIST’. The short film features NBA stars Anthony Davis, Kawhi Leonard, DeMar DeRozan, Darius Garland, Julius Randle, and Trae Young, alongside Emmy-winning actor Michael Imperoli. Talking about his acting stint in the promo, Kawhi Leonard even revealed his ‘Oscar Dreams’ to the NBA.

Interestingly, the trailer is an adaptation of the famous Hollywood movie Ocean’s 11, intended to fuel fan anticipation. The video begins with Michael Imperoli narrating a new tournament format that will feature all 30 teams of the NBA contending for the NBA cup.

Given the high stakes implied by the plan, teams will require the best talents to realize their calculated strategies. As Imperoli elaborates on the plan, he introduces the NBA stars in the short film, all of whom are vying to grab the coveted silverware for their respective teams.

Seems like Kawhi Leonard had a fun time acting in this short film. Leonard, who is known for his reserved personality, put up a brilliant and natural performance that could very well qualify him to grab his big break in Hollywood. Rating himself 10/10 as an actor during a BTS shoot, Leonard told the NBA:

“[I will rate myself] 10 out of 10 [as an actor]. Nah I won’t say one take because I want it to be great. I want to win an Oscar. I’ll say I’ll give it 4 tries and then it’s complete.” 

Kawhi rated himself 10/10 as an actor

[via @NBA ] pic.twitter.com/08MySoJR23

— BASKETBALL ON (@BasketballOnX) October 27, 2023

Undoubtedly, the Clippers All-Star definitely understands the worth of patience. Be it on the hardwood or the silver screen, all top performances need an ample amount of practice to attain perfection. This is something that makes Kawhi one of the best, be it in the NBA or other endeavors he chooses to pursue.

The In-Season Tournament pits all 30 NBA teams against each other for the NBA Cup

The new In-Season Tournament scheduled for 3rd November would bring some new excitement and vigor into the NBA. Just ten days into the season, the 30 NBA teams will play against each other for a few weeks of pool play.

Both the Eastern and Western Conference teams are divided into three groups, with five teams in each. The teams will play against the other four teams on Tuesdays and Fridays in November. Eight teams with the best records will advance to the single-elimination Knockout Rounds starting in early December.

The NBA In-Season Tournament Schedule reveal is LIVE on ESPN ‼️ pic.twitter.com/QYd5tJB7XV

— NBA (@NBA) August 15, 2023

Furthermore, each group will also have a wildcard team that will be moving to the knockout stage. The semi-finals and the final of this tournament are scheduled for December 3 and December 9 at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas.

The Los Angeles Clippers will compete in the ‘West B’ group of the In-Season tournament, featuring the Houston Rockets, Dallas Mavericks, Denver Nuggets, and the New Orleans Pelicans.

Perhaps the Los Angeles Clippers are hopeful for their chances to add silverware with the introduction of this new tournament format. Given the current form of the stars, such as Russell Westbrook, Paul George, and Kawhi Leonard, the Clippers do seem like legitimate contenders to compete for the NBA Cup this season.