Kawhi Leonard arguably had the greatest one-year run in sports history with the Toronto Raptors during the 2018-19 season.
Kawhi Leonard was traded to the Toronto Raptors during the 2018 offseason for DeMar DeRozan.
The Raptors went all-in on trying to win the NBA title and they did thanks to Leonard having one of the greatest individual postseason runs of all time.
Even though Leonard never wanted to be in Toronto, he still showed up and led the Raptors to the 2019 NBA championship.
Kawhi Leonard felt that he was better than this NBA legend after run with Raptors
Leonard and the Raptors defeated the Golden State Warriors in 6 games during the 2019 NBA Finals.
During the 2019 postseason, Leonard averaged 30.5 points, 9.1 rebounds and 3.9 assists in 24 games.
What If?
If Kevin Durant never tore his Achilles would the Golden State Warriors have come back from 3-1 down to beat the Toronto Raptors to three-peat?
Kawhi won his second Finals MVP award and his second NBA championship.
Fred VanVleet revealed that Kawhi thought he was better than Kobe Bryant after the run he had with the Raptors.
“Kawhi [Leonard] changed my view on a lot of shi*t, but there was one thing in particular that I overheard and he didn’t say it to me, I just overheard it and it was a conversation that was being had.
“And the sentiment of the conversation, because I ain’t going to quote nobody, but the sentiment of the conversation was when we won the championship about all that sh*t is like, ‘I’m better than Kobe.’
“Right? I had the same reaction because Kobe is my man. Kobe, that’s it for me. That’s as good as it gets for me as a little kid up into a man, my eyes, what I seen.
“But I started thinking to myself, I know how I feel about where I stand because I’m on the court and I’m playing against some of these guys and your favorites and who people might, you know what I’m saying?
“And when he said it, I said, well, if I’m him and that, right, just those three words changed how I look at the game. If I’m him, how do I feel? How do he feel if I’m him?
“Because I know how he feel right now.”
Kawhi Leonard’s legacy would have been different if he stayed with the Toronto Raptors
Leonard had the perfect situation in Toronto. He was managed properly by the Raptors medical staff and he had a strong supporting cast.
Kawhi Leonard should have stayed in Toronto!
How many more championships do you think Kawhi Leonard would have won if he stayed with the Toronto Raptors?
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Kawhi was Batman, Pascal Siakam was his Robin and there were many solid pieces around them like VanVleet, Norman Powell and OG Anunoby.
Leonard was on pace to possibly be a top 15 player of all-time after his championship with the Raptors.
But of course, Leonard left Toronto to join the Los Angeles Clippers and his career has never been the same since.
Join the debate; share your insight. Use the comment button on the bottom left to have your say