Toronto Raptors superstar Kawhi Leonard, 28, has decided to leave his championship winning team behind and is heading home to California to play for the Los Angeles Clippers.
Heartbroken Raptors fans woke to the news on Saturday morning.
Here we take a look back at the life and career of the self-proclaimed “fun guy” who was instrumental in bringing the Larry O’Brien trophy to Canada for the first time.
1991
Kawhi Leonard was born the son of Mark Leonard and Kim Robertson on June 29, 1991, according to Sports Illustrated.
2006-2009
Leonard’s talent was clear in his high school days where he played at Canyon Springs in Moreno Valley, where he grew up, and Martin Luther King High in Riverside.
2008
Leonard was 16 when his father was shot and killed at age 43 at the car wash he owned in Compton, Calif. The case remains unsolved.
2009-2011
Leonard excels at San Diego State University over two seasons. He decides to turn professional.
2011
Leonard was selected with the 15th overall pick in the 2011 NBA draft by the Indiana Pacers but was traded that night to the San Antonio Spurs.
2012-2013
Leonard’s sophomore season as a pro saw the Spurs take on defending champions Miami Heat in the final. The Spurs lost in seven games.
2013-14
Leonard is named NBA Finals MVP.
2014-15
Leonard is named defensive player of the year in his fourth season with the Spurs.
San Antonio Spurs’ Kawhi Leonard holds his trophy during a news conference after he was named the NBA defensive player of the year, Thursday, April 23, 2015, in San Antonio. (AP Photo/Eric Gay)
2015-16
Leonard is called up for his first All-Star game and is chosen as the league’s top defensive player for the second time.
2017-18
Plagued by injuries to his right quadriceps and shoulder, Leonard requests a trade and is bought by the Toronto Raptors alongside Danny Green. The deal sees Raptors All-Star guard DeMar DeRozan and centre Jakob Poeltl go to San Antonio.
September 2018
Leonard makes his debut in a Raptors uniform, thrilling fans in Vancouver by scoring 12 points in 19 minutes of pre-season action.
January 2019
Leonard pours in career-high 45 points to lead Raptors in a 122-116 win over Utah Jazz.
May 2019
Leonard’s buzzer beater—which famously saw the ball bounce off the rim four times—gives the Raptors a 92-90 win over the Philadelphia 76ers, securing Toronto a place in the Eastern Conference Finals.
After falling behind 2-0 to the Mllwaukee Bucks, Leonard helps the Raptors once again respond to adversity with four victories in a row.
Toronto Raptors forward Kawhi Leonard (2) celebrates his last-second basket with teammates at the end of second half NBA Eastern Conference semifinal action against the Philadelphia 76ers, in Toronto on Sunday, May 12, 2019. (THE CANADIAN PRESS / Frank Gunn)
June 2019
Facing the Golden State Warriors on the back of two concurrent championship wins, the Raptors clinch it in game six bringing the Larry O’Brien trophy to Canada for the first time.
“King Kwahi,” as fans dubbed him, is crowned Finals MVP for the second time in his career.
Hundreds of thousands of basketball fans line the streets for a victory parade in downtown Toronto. Leonard rides a float with rapper Drake.
Speculation grows as to where Leonard will go for the next season.
Meanwhile, Leonard files a federal lawsuit against Nike, saying the footwear and apparel giant is blocking him from using a logo that he believes he owns.
July 2019
Leonard signs with the Clippers, breaking hearts in Toronto where he was revered as “The King of the North.”
Toronto Raptors' Kawhi Leonard holds his MVP trophy while celebrating with Drake during the 2019 Toronto Raptors Championship parade in Toronto, on Monday, June 17, 2019. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Frank Gunn
