For 19 seasons Tim Duncan was the face of the San Antonio Spurs franchise. But, he is now retired and the player that the team hopes will be their next big superstar in the post-Duncan era is Kawhi Leonard. Just like Duncan, Kawhi Leonard rarely expresses any emotions while on the court and is usually pretty reserved whenever he gives interviews. And just like the recently retired Spurs legend, Kawhi lets his game do the talking, and he has "talking" loud enough for everyone to notice him.
Most fans know Leonard for his defensive prowess, but he has also shown himself to be a very capable scorer as well averaging 24.0 points per game while shooting a very respectable 47 percent from the floor this season. He has the rare ability to impact a game from both ends of the floor, making him a true matchup nightmare for any player he goes up against.
A recent poll conducted by ESPN's Jeff Goodman wherein 32 NBA executives were made to select a frontcourt player no older than 25 years of age to play for their team, and Kawhi Leonard's name was on top of that list. The Minnesota Timberwolves' Karl Anthony-Towns came in at second, followed by Anthony Davis of the New Orleans Pelicans.
When I polled NBA execs of top front court player they would take 25 or younger, went like this: 1) Kawhi 2) Towns 3) Anthony Davis
— Jeff Goodman (@GoodmanESPN) December 14, 2016
The other two players that Leonard edged out in the poll are no pushovers themselves and have already shown that they have what it takes to become future superstars in the league. But the mere fact that a majority of the NBA executives who took the poll chose Kawhi over the likes of Davis and Towns speaks volumes of how far he has come as a player.
With Duncan retired, and Manu Ginobili and Tony Parker already showing some signs of slowing down due to their ages, Kawhi Leonard has done a very impressive job of being the Spurs' go-to guy. He is a player that many fans would be proud to have on their team and community as he has shown how much he cares about the less fortunate through his charitable efforts. Just recently, he handed out gifts to less-fortunate children in Bexar County while dressed up as Santa Claus. With his incredible skill set and commitment to defense, Kawhi Leonard has what it takes to lead the Spurs to the future.
This article is copyrighted by Travelers Today, the travel news leader
