Dwyane Wade is one of the best playoff performers of all time. Despite injuries dampening his strengths and eventually leading to the end of his career, early career Wade was an incredible player and a remarkable playoff riser. This was best seen in the 2006 NBA Finals, a series he took over to win the Miami Heat their first title. It’s hard to find a modern comparison to that achievement. The player who comes closest is likely Kawhi Leonard’s 2019 run with the Toronto Raptors. As postseason aficionados, the two share the skill needed to dominate for multiple series.
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While injuries sapped the lightning from Wade’s legs, Kawhi’s injury recoveries have somehow not shaken the greatness of his game. Despite missing over a hundred games in the last four years, Leonard still plays at an extremely high level. That’s something Wade can commiserate with.
This starts in 2017 when Zaza Pachulia undercut Leonard’s ankle, leading to months of recovery and an eventual exit from San Antonio after only playing a handful of games after the injury. Then, it was a torn ACL in the 2021 playoffs, then a torn meniscus in the 2023 Playoffs after missing all of 2022. Continuously struck down, Leonard then missed large chunks of the 2024 playoffs.
However, as Wade put it on his podcast, there are few things as scary on the court as a healthy Kawhi Leonard, even if that has been rare during his time in LA. “One thing I think we forget because he’s been hurt so much is how cold he is in the playoffs. Can’t no one guard him when he gets that ball…”
Wade has been around for nearly every era of his career. The Klaw, as some call him, burst onto the NBA scene during the 2013 Finals, when the Spurs faced Wade’s Heat. From there, Wade declined while Kawhi ascended to top five territories. Now, as an analyst, Wade can compliment a player he knows so well as a competitor.
Kawhi Leonard, Mid-Range Assassin
Wade was not Kawhi’s primary matchup in the 2013 and 2014 Finals. That honor, or punishment, went to LeBron James. But, watching Leonard from afar offered Wade a respect for the at then time 23 year old. Recalling his performances, Wade said, “So, we played them in the Finals in 2013, I was guarding Kawhi, but they weren’t running no offense for Kawhi like that, so he was in the corner, slash, offensive rebound.”
“2014! Bro, it was one game in the Finals; I was like, ‘Brah! (someone else guard him in my place).’ He came back the next year, and he was so nice. He was defensively always a monster, but offensively… he wasn’t doing a lot. 2014 came, bro, I have never seen a player make a jump like that… I couldn’t guard him no more,” Wade recalled.
As Leonard’s career continued, Wade couldn’t say enough nice things. Recently, Wade detailed his best comparison for Kawhi: Kobe Bryant.
“I remember guarding Kob, let’s say 2009… he went right, two dribbles, pulled up, I had no chance of guarding it… those types of players, they get to their spots and it’s over. That’s what Kawhi is like.”
Some might argue that Kawhi, despite not carrying the same awards as Bryant, had a higher peak, as his defense surpassed that of Kobe while reaching a similar shot-making prowess. One thing is for sure, though: both players earned the lifelong respect of DWade.
