The North never forgets, and apparently, neither does Kawhi Leonard. While the Los Angeles Clippers star is focused on a championship push in the West, he took a sentimental detour back to the city where he became a basketball deity.
Leonard returned to Toronto this past weekend for a youth basketball event in Scarborough, leaving Raptors fans with a heavy dose of nostalgia and a few headline-grabbing quotes.
“Toronto is still in my heart,” Leonard told the crowd on Saturday. The two-time Finals MVP wasn’t just there for a photo op; he helped unveil a new mural featuring his iconic 2019 Game 7 buzzer-beater against the Philadelphia 76ers. The artwork features the quote: “You are stronger than you think.”
Leonard’s connection to Canada runs deeper than just a championship ring. He noted that his son was born in Toronto, jokingly mentioning that he often talks about bringing him back to show him his roots.
“I just wanted to leave a blueprint out here,” Leonard said. “This won’t be the last thing. I’ll be doing something else out here.”
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While Leonard was busy inspiring the next generation in Ontario, his on-court production for the Los Angeles Clippers remains as clinical as ever. In the Clippers' last outing before his knee injury, a gritty 119-105 win over the Washington Wizards, Leonard looked every bit the superstar.
He finished with a game-high 33 points, three rebounds, and four assists while shooting 9-of-22 from the field. His teammate James Harden added 22 points and eight assists, but it was Leonard’s defensive presence in the fourth quarter that sealed the deal. However, he has now been sent home from the Clippers road trip due to a knee injury.
For Toronto Raptors fans, seeing Leonard embrace the city is bittersweet. Since his departure in 2019, the franchise has entered a total rebuild.
He might wear Clippers threads now, but as Leonard made clear this weekend, a piece of him will always belong to the 6ix. With his son being a Canadian citizen and his commitment to local youth, the Klaw’s legacy in Toronto is far from over.