Since entering the NBA back in 2011, Kawhi Leonard has won two championships and two Finals MVPs. He could retire from the NBA before basketball is resumed following the COVID-19 pandemic and still be a first-ballot Hall of Famer one day.
Leonard has career NBA averages of 18.6 points, 6.4 rebounds and 2.7 assists with the San Antonio Spurs, Toronto Raptors and Los Angeles Clippers. Along with being a two-time champion and two-time Finals MVP, Kawhi is a four-time All-Star and two-time Defensive Player of the Year.
Kawhi Leonard is clearly a once in a generation type of talent. However, one of the reasons he's become such an elite player is because he developed within the Spurs organization and played with three Hall of Famers at a young age.
We're talking about Tim Duncan, Tony Parker and Manu Ginobili, of course. Duncan was inducted into the Hall of Fame this year, while Parker and Manu will get their calls down the road.
During his career, Kawhi Leonard has had the pleasure of playing with a bevy of great players. For this piece, we'll be listing the best teammates Kawhi has played with in the NBA since getting drafted out of San Diego State.
PG: Tony Parker
Parker and Leonard may have had their differences during the 2017-18 season when Kawhi only played in nine games due to a quad injury. However, there is no debating that Parker is the best point guard Leonard has played with.
The two were teammates for seven seasons and won the 2014 championship together when Leonard captured his first Finals MVP.
Parker finished his NBA career with averages of 15.5 points, 2.7 rebounds and 5.6 assists. He won four championships with the Spurs.
SG: Manu Ginobili
Kawhi Leonard and Ginobili were teammates for seven seasons as well. Manu spent his entire legendary career with the Spurs and is one of the best left-handed players in NBA history.
On top of winning four titles with the Spurs, Ginobili made two All-Star teams and won the 2008 Sixth Man of the Year Award.
He finished his NBA career with averages of 13.3 points, 3.5 rebounds and 3.8 assists.
SF: Paul George
There's a reason Kawhi Leonard recruited George to request a trade from the Oklahoma City Thunder to the Clippers. Kawhi knew PG-13 was the perfect partner in crime for him to go to battle with.
Before the 2019-20 season was suspended due to COVID-19, George was averaging 21.0 points, 5.7 rebounds and 3.9 assists in his first season back home for the Clippers.
The Clips are title contenders for the first time in franchise history with Kawhi Leonard and Paul George leading the charge. The organization has zero championships.
PF: Tim Duncan
Duncan is the best power forward in NBA history. He took Kawhi under his wing in San Antonio and showed the California native that it's perfectly fine to be a quiet superstar.
Duncan and Leonard were teammates for five years. Tim retired after the 2015-16 season. He finished his Hall of Fame career with averages of 19.0 points, 10.8 rebounds and 3.0 assists.
Center: Marc Gasol
Kawhi Leonard and Gasol won the 2019 championship together on the Raptors. Toronto acquired Gasol from the Memphis Grizzlies at the 2019 trade deadline and the move paid off in a big way.
Leonard became a Raptors legend in just one season by delivering the franchise its first-ever title. Gasol's play on defense was one of the reasons why Toronto defeated the Golden State Warriors in six games.
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