“He Wants to Know About You”: Kawhi Leonard Reflects on His Special Bond With Gregg Popovich

It has been almost seven years since the San Antonio Spurs traded Kawhi Leonard to the Toronto Raptors amid rumors that he and head coach Gregg Popovich had a fallout. Popovich has since retired due to health concerns, and Leonard has gone on to touch more heights in the league.

Any conflict the LA Clippers star and his former coach had seems to have been swept away by the long march of time. When Popovich called it a day in May last year, Leonard praised and celebrated his phenomenal career and described how the coach shaped him as a player and a human being.

“He coached until pretty much he couldn’t … I appreciate everything he’s done for me. You know, coming into the league, he helped build my foundation and showed me how to win,” Leonard said.

Popovich’s impact on Leonard had clearly been immense, evident by how happy he is to talk about it even years after they stopped working together. Leonard also spoke about how Popovich instilled in him not just knowledge about the game and about winning on the court, but also winning in life.

“Man, I mean everything,” Leonard responded when asked about how Popovich influenced his life. That kind of positive and mature influence was important for Leonard, who practically did his growing up in the league in front of a thousand cameras.

“He helped me build the foundation in the NBA and [taught me] how to win. Coming in there as a young buck, he was telling me, ‘don’t shoot no pull-ups in transition’ and [he was] sitting me down [for] full games. He really gave you an understanding of the game, and it wasn’t just for me to play great, it was about the team effort and trying to win a championship,” Leonard elaborated.

Calling Popovich his “vet,” Leonard narrated how the coach equipped him to handle playoff games and to keep striving to be better with every passing day. Popovich was a true mentor.

“He wants to know about you. He’s gonna give you books, see what drives you. Tells you to hug your family. He’s great. I’m hoping he stays around for a long time,” Leonard added, sounding both grateful and hopeful.

Leonard spent seven seasons with the Spurs, leading them to an NBA championship in 2014. He was awarded the Finals Most Valuable Player title as well. Currently, the leader on the LA Clippers roster after the departure of James Harden during the trade deadline, he has matured over the years.

It would not be far-fetched to assume that the qualities Popovich helped instill in him at the beginning of his career have helped him evolve into the veteran he is today.