Kawhi Leonard Is So Good He’s Now Stealing the Ball From His Own Teammates
Kawhi Leonard’s reputation as a defensive wizard has grown into something of legend with each passing season he’s spent in the NBA. He’s nicknamed “The Klaw” for a reason. Leonard’s arms act as tentacles, reaching and prodding and blocking to prevent his opponents from finding any semblance of open space in the lane. And if that weren’t enough, Leonard’s enormous hands act as bear paws, swiping the basketball and bolting the other way before you know what happened. Sometimes, that can happen to you even if you’re one of Leonard’s teammate.
Never let anyone tell you Kawhi Leonard isn’t the best defensive player in the league#NBAVotepic.twitter.com/JqTD9TcAcf
— Project Spurs (@projectspurs) January 6, 2017
During a San Antonio Spurs possession in the third quarter of their game against the Denver Nuggets on Thursday night, Pau Gasol held the ball just above the free throw line, looking for someone to pass to. He seemed stuck, smothered by his defender and unable to find an open teammate. So Leonard took matters into his own hands. Racing around the 3-point line behind Gasol, Leonard stole the ball right out of Gasol’s hands and continued on to the basket for a layup.
RELATED: Kawhi Leonard Faked Out All 5 Members of the Utah Jazz
The best thing about the whole sequence was Gasol flailing his arms like he’d been fouled, assuming the ball had been swiped by a Nuggets defender, only to realize it was his buddy Kawhi.
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Kawhi Leonard Is So Good He’s Now Stealing the Ball From His Own Teammates
Kawhi Leonard’s reputation as a defensive wizard has grown into something of legend with each passing season he’s spent in the NBA. He’s nicknamed “The Klaw” for a reason. Leonard’s arms act as tentacles, reaching and prodding and blocking to prevent his opponents from finding any semblance of open space in the lane. And if that weren’t enough, Leonard’s enormous hands act as bear paws, swiping the basketball and bolting the other way before you know what happened. Sometimes, that can happen to you even if you’re one of Leonard’s teammate.
Never let anyone tell you Kawhi Leonard isn’t the best defensive player in the league#NBAVotepic.twitter.com/JqTD9TcAcf
— Project Spurs (@projectspurs) January 6, 2017
During a San Antonio Spurs possession in the third quarter of their game against the Denver Nuggets on Thursday night, Pau Gasol held the ball just above the free throw line, looking for someone to pass to. He seemed stuck, smothered by his defender and unable to find an open teammate. So Leonard took matters into his own hands. Racing around the 3-point line behind Gasol, Leonard stole the ball right out of Gasol’s hands and continued on to the basket for a layup.
RELATED: Kawhi Leonard Faked Out All 5 Members of the Utah Jazz
The best thing about the whole sequence was Gasol flailing his arms like he’d been fouled, assuming the ball had been swiped by a Nuggets defender, only to realize it was his buddy Kawhi.