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Kawhi Leonard spoke at Raptors media day after signing a two-year, reportedly US$115-million deal, saying he is healthy and eager to help lead Toronto's young roster. He also reflected on his 2019 championship, his decision to leave, the viral laugh and the city's Ka'Wine and Dine promotion.
Kawhi Leonard said he is excited to be back in Toronto and ready to move forward as he spoke to reporters Monday ahead of the upcoming season.
Kawhi Leonard Signs Return To Toronto Raptors
The media-day appearance was his first time speaking to fans since signing a two-year contract with the Raptors last week, reportedly worth US$115 million. The seven-time NBA All-Star's return from the Los Angeles Clippers was agreed to in June and finalized earlier this month, after an investigation into salary-cap circumvention by Leonard and the Clippers.
The trade sent Brandon Ingram, Gradey Dick, unprotected first-round picks in 2031 and 2033, a 2027 first-round pick swap and two second-round picks to Los Angeles. Leonard joined the Clippers as a free agent after Toronto won the first NBA championship in franchise history in 2019. He averaged 27.9 points, 6.3 rebounds, 3.6 assists, 1.9 steals and 0.4 blocks per game with the Clippers last season.
Leonard said he expects to be a leader for the young Raptors, helping teammates improve and offering support to rookies and anyone who needs it. He said he would lead by example and be an extra set of eyes and ears on the floor for head coach Darko Rajaković when the coach is unable to play. He described himself as a good teammate and an approachable person, saying players could contact him by text, phone or on the court.
Leonard said he was looking forward to starting training camp, learning from the group and improving alongside his teammates. Asked about playing with Scottie Barnes, Leonard said his game can fit alongside different kinds of players. He can catch and shoot, he said, and has previously played with a limited number of shots. He expects the offence to take care of itself when the team gets out in transition.
Leonard Excited To Play With Scottie Barnes
Leonard praised Barnes as a great passer who can bring the ball up the floor despite his size. He also pointed to the Raptors' athleticism and ability to get to the corners, adding that he is looking forward to playing with a team built around defence and transition basketball. Leonard said he feels good and healthy heading into the season, despite his history of lower-body injuries.
He noted that he had been an All-NBA player in two of the previous three years and played 65 games last season. He hopes to play more this year and extend the team's run into the playoffs. He said he is taking his health day by day and hopes, God willing, to keep feeling well. Leonard's stated goal is not only to add games during the regular season but also to help Toronto make a long playoff run.
Reflecting on his Toronto legacy, Leonard credited the fans, the city's energy and the relationships he built there. He said the Raptors' championship run felt like doing the impossible, and that the welcome from fans and the chance to return to the arena were part of why he wanted to come back. Leonard also said his son was born in Toronto and has a strong connection to Canada.
Leonard Compares Current Roster To 2019 Champions
His son often asks about the Canadian flag when they return, Leonard said, adding that he seems even happier now that the family is back home. Asked how the current roster compares with the 2019 championship team, Leonard called the earlier group a veteran squad that won 59 games. He said the current team is different, but praised its play last season and its competitive young players, including Barnes, B.A., Shead, R.J. , Quick, C.M.
B. and Ja'Kobe. Leonard said the Raptors played great basketball, made the playoffs and took their series to Game 7. He described the team as a young group that defends first and runs in transition, adding that he believes he can benefit from that style. He also said he likes the coaching staff and has a strong regard for Rajaković.
The star also addressed his viral laugh from his 2019 introduction to Raptors fans, when he described himself as a fun guy before laughing in a way that was widely shared online. Leonard said he was not embarrassed and did not intend to stop laughing simply because people found it funny. He said that if his laugh makes people laugh, he is fine with it, adding that it is not harmful.
Leonard recalled discussing the idea of making a short show to see who had the funniest laugh through a microphone. He said people should enjoy whatever brings them joy. Leonard was asked about Ka'Wine and Dine, a 2019 initiative in which restaurants offered him free food for life if he stayed in Toronto.
He said people in the city had taken a liking to him even before the championship, when they thanked him for his play and for helping lead the Raptors on a historic playoff run. He joked that he wanted to know who had told the organizers he liked to eat. Leonard said he is older now and cannot eat as much, so he has to stay locked in, but he appreciated the gesture as a sign of the city's gratitude.
He added that friends back home use the phrase, especially when they are paying, and that he tells them to Ka'Wine and Dine. Asked whether Toronto could have won a second championship in 2020 if he had stayed, Leonard said perhaps, but he does not spend much time thinking about what might have happened. He noted that the following season was affected by COVID and said his decision to go to Los Angeles was based on family.
Leonard described himself as a family-oriented person and said he was able to spend time with older relatives who later died, as well as see babies born among his cousins and nieces. He said he cherishes being able to see and hug family members before they pass or move away, and that those experiences keep him from dwelling on the basketball implications of leaving Toronto.
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CP24:‘Excited to be back’: Kawhi Leonard speaks to reporters at Toronto Raptors media day. Here’s everything he said.This story was compiled and edited by the HeadTopics newsroom and HT AI from the reports above.
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