The LA Clippers landed free agent big man Serge Ibaka this offseason, bolstering their backcourt with a stretch five. The former Toronto Raptors big man played the 2018-19 campaign with Kawhi Leonard, and together, the duo won an NBA Championship. A few years later, the duo is reunited in Los Angeles in pursuit of another title.
Serge Ibaka met with members of the Los Angeles media on Thursday afternoon to discuss his signing with the Clippers, among other things. When asked about his relationship with Kawhi Leonard and how that recruiting process went, Ibaka didn't mince any words.
“It's funny,” Ibaka said. “You have to know him. ‘Hey, what's up.' That's what Kawhi text me. ‘Hey, what's up.' On a free agency day, he texted me, ‘Hey, what's up.' I said, ‘What's up, bro.' I'm on vacation… ‘Bro, are you coming or no?' Just picture Kawhi in his voice. Like, it was funny. ‘Bro, are we doing it.' It was very funny. I know him, so that's how we communicate, and when he say, ‘What's up' I already know what he means, you know. So it was funny.”
Leonard has often been described as a quiet player who keeps to himself. The two-time NBA Finals MVP has no active social media accounts, and is rarely seen off the basketball court. Ibaka and Leonard have a unique relationship, the two-time blocks champion says, and is looking forward to teaming up once again.
“I think we just understand each other,” Serge Ibaka added of their time with the Raptors. “Kawhi is the type of person, you got to know him personally to understand. From far, I see a lot of people say different things, even me, myself. But when you approach him and you spend time with him, you understand him, you know he’s that type of guy. It just happened naturally, we just understand. One thing about me and Kawhi is like, there is no ego in our friendship. We don’t have an ego. I know who he is and he know as a teammate what I can do for him, for the team and it is make things smoother and easier.”
“Hey what’s up, bro? Are you coming or no?”
Serge Ibaka describing how Kawhi Leonard recruited him to the Clippers 🤣 pic.twitter.com/uxGtivcwAs
— Tomer Azarly (@TomerAzarly) December 3, 2020
Aside from the Raptors and Clippers, Ibaka had multiple suitors including the Los Angeles Lakers and Boston Celtics. In the end, the Leonard and the Clippers front office sold Ibaka on a role on a championship contending team.
The Clippers now have two legitimate rim protectors in Ivica Zubac and Serge Ibaka, and a floor spacing big man as well, which is something JaMychal Green did last year to a lesser extent. Head coach Tyronn Lue hinted that a lineup featuring both Ibaka and Zubac at the four and the five is something that will be explored during the season.
Ibaka averaged 15.4 points, 8.2 rebounds, 1.4 assists, and 0.8 blocks in 27 minutes per game for the Raptors last year on 51.2 percent shooting from the field and 38.5 percent from beyond the arc.
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