In this video, we will be looking at what NBA analysts thought about Kawhi Leonard in the 2011 Draft. They recognized his HUGE hands and defensive potential but at the time they did not see much of a jumper.
@@BallingandTalking He would have been. He did benefit from SAS no doubt but you people always forget that Danny Green, Patty Mills, Simmons and other players have come through the system and none of them are on Kawhi's level. In Aztec, he was the second leading scorer on his team, leader in steals, assists, rebounds and he was Mr. California ffs. All this rubbish of I don't think he would have been a good player if he didn't go to San Antonio is just stupidity of everyone who says it. He was also called a system player but what did he do last year. I think you all are just idiots frankly. He didn't choose to go to these places but he made good use of every situation he was in. Just Google it. Without Kawhi Spurs defense isn't as good. He was so great on defense that teams found a "Jordan rule" for him on defense by leaving their best players to be guarded by Kawhi while the role players do the scoring. I'm tired of people who think they know basketball saying Kawhi wouldn't be this without Spurs. His greatest gift was patience. He was willing to learn and be coached. Check his high school highlights he's basically doing the same thing but smoother. Did the Spurs help him, yes but was it them that made him this good, NO. "You can force a horse to the river but you can't force it to drink" It takes hard work and dedication. Unfortunately, he's got injured and has to play a certain way to avoid being worse. If Grant Hill, Arenas, DRose, Boogie, IT, Bill Walton and stupid Jay Williams had this option of load management they would have taken it. See what GSW did to KD last season indirectly forcing him to play only for him to lose out on the season. Now, we don't know how he will be next season. What about Isaiah Thomas who was Boston's man 4th quarter king. They forced him to play basically giving his life for Boston on pace for the super max only for him to bounce around the league later and now no team wants him. Same with Cousins. All you have to do is use your head and not what the media is telling you. Why wasn't Kawhi in a bigger school, just Google it. Basically a player and his dad who was the coach tried everything to make sure he didn't go to the best colleagues when they came calling. The coach gave the spot to his son. Just do your research man. Because Kawhi doesn't talk doesn't mean he wasn't always good. He just kept improving each year.
Megaprikibalz xxx and you just come off as an ass. Just because you think you’re right doesn’t mean you actually are. It is true that Kawhi worked hard, had dedication, and had the physical gifts to be successful and that he made the most out of his situation. That’s not a guarantee he’s gonna be an all-time great though. Just because he was dominating in high school and in college doesn’t make it a reflection what his nba career is now. There are so many college prospects that have crazy college careers, but it doesn’t pan out for them in the NBA There is a thing called working hard the wrong way and for the wrong people. Why do you think the knicks lottery pick players are almost always busts? Why was victor oladipo an all-star with the pacers and not with the Magic or the Thunder. Why is Markelle Fultz playing better basketball in Orlando than in philadelphia? Why do you think curry changed the nba under Steve Kerr and not with Mark Jackson? Situation and circumstance is a big part in all of these, including and especially the people who influenced them. You saying it’s stupid to think that Kawhi wouldn’t have been a good player if he didn’t go to San Antonio is ignorant. He could have thrived on some other teams, yes, but his growth would be most likely have been stunted had he gone to the Knicks, Suns, or Wolves, or any other team that likes to squander there talent. There’s a reason why those teams continue to keep drafting bust after bust and sign free agents that fail to have any impact whatsoever. Having the spurs play a big part in his development as a player isn’t a bad thing at all. Many players needed time to develop, but it doesn’t take away from what they’ve become. That especially includes Kobe Bryant as well, as he didn’t come out as ready as some greats like LeBron James, Michael Jordan, or even Luka Doncic. It’s one thing for a player to have all the gifts and the drive to be great. It’s another for them to have the proper trainers and coaches to correctly divert their hard work into success. If Kawhi was always going to be great regardless, then there would be no need for trainers or coaches at all.
Joshua Rinosa exactly, dude is talking like we think he would be a complete bust if not for the Spurs. No, but managing to get into San Antonio was massive for him.
Just heard that the Pacers are trading him to the Spurs for George Hill. Great trade for the Pacers, questionable trade for the Spurs. We will see how this turns out in a few years, but the Pacers should definitely be excited to get their point guard of the future in George Hill.
I could see Leonard becoming a rotational player but Hill has the ability to still be a perennial all star in Indiana huge win of a trade for them San Antonio might of ended any chance of another Duncan Parker Ginobili ring with this trade
Well at the time he really didn't have a good jumper. That was kinda the reason he didn't go top 10. His jumper didn't really develop until a couple years into his career
Idk, will he even be better than Ron Artest? Indiana trading him was the right decision. Meanwhile George Hill could end up being the best Pacer since Reggie Miller.
