With the tragic passing of the great Kobe Bryant earlier this year, many notable NBA players have dedicated their season in memory of the Black Mamba. One of these players is Kawhi Leonard, the reigning finals MVP.
Kawhi has further elevated his game this season, becoming one of the best two-way players in the league today, leading the Clippers to one of the best records in a loaded Western conference. The Klaw’s defensive tenacity, deadly offense, and killer instinct on the court led many to draw comparisons between the young star and Kobe Bryant. Even Kawhi himself has acknowledged the resemblance, admitting in an interview that “[Kobe] was my Micheal Jordan...he made a big impression on me as a kid”. Kobe also served as a mentor to the Clippers forward, with the two working out together on numerous occasions in recent years.
The numbers don’t lie either, as Kawhi’s shot chart from this season closely follows that of the Black Mamba’s 2005-2006 season in which he was the league's scoring champion. Both stars primarily attack opposing defenses from mid-range, with potent turnaround shots and knockdown pull-up jumpers, while still being able to command respect from beyond the 3-point arc and close to the basket with strong finishes at the rim. In Kobe’s MVP season he averaged 20.1 2-point field goal attempts per 100 possessions, nearly identical to Kawhi’s 20.8 average this season. Both players also shot sparingly from behind the arc with Kawhi averaging 1.9 more attempts per 100 possessions this year. The similarities between the two All-stars also translates to the defensive end with Kobe and Kawhi both having league leading defensive ratings with a difference of only 1. Like Kobe, Leonard achieved championship success early on in his career in a supporting role on the Spurs, and later flourished when placed in the leading role, bringing Toronto its first championship in franchise history last year. And both players' no-nonsense demeanor and ever-present calm has allowed them to be among the most clutch performers in NBA history.
With Leonard joining forces with Paul George and the Clippers this season, he aims to bring championship banners to the very city in which the Black Mamba will be forever revered, albeit in a different jersey.
Data courtesy of Basketball Reference and ESPN