Kim Robertson might know that fans of Kawhi Leonard have wanted him to say more. He is known as a family man of few words who lets his play do almost all the talking.
Kawhi Leonard was unable to celebrate his first Finals win and Finals MVP trophy with his Dad. He worked under his father, Mark, at his car wash in Compton, and was close with him before his father's tragic killing in 2008.
All those accolades in 2014 coming on Father's Day was incredibly tough for Kawhi Leonard to deal with, but at least he had his loving mother by his side for the accomplishments.
“It's a very special meaning for me, knowing that he's gone and I was able to win a championship on Father's Day,” Kawhi Leonard said as part of a feature with Ramona Shelburne of ESPN. “But I mean, I'm just happy just winning the championship. Like I told you all, my dad died six years ago, and I really wasn't thinking about him that much.”
Robertson has been by her son's side since the beginning of his professional career in San Antonio, as she was a constant presence in San Antonio since Leonard was acquired by the Spurs in a draft day trade in 2011.
With the loss of his father still fresh in his mind, Robertson always wanted to be close by, keeping watch in case her son needed anything.
That support has been there since Kawhi Leonard told her that his father had been murdered as they rode home from one of his high school basketball games.
“I was kind of scared,” Robertson said after the death. “You know how young men, they lose their father, who is a big figure in their life. It might turn them to do things bad. But Kawhi's always been strong. He's a good kid. He wants to get better and better.”
Quotes like that show the kind of love that only a Mother could give. Kawhi Leonard has felt that love since he was 5, when he moved in with his Mom in Moreno Valley while frequently visiting his Dad on weekends, bonding over basketball and the car wash.
Fast forward to five years after that emotional Finals win, and Robertson was still showing her son endless support while rooting for her son.
Things got heated in a 2018-19 regular season game where the San Antonio crowd saw Leonard play at the AT&T Center for the first time without a San Antonio uniform.
A fan behind Robertson took a video of her defending her son at wit's end after a San Antonio fan tried to heckle the former Spur. It was unclear from the video what the heckler said, but it certainly provoked Mama Bear.
Kawhi’s mom was ready for all the smoke from Spurs fans 😤
(via @@davidmfajardoo)pic.twitter.com/jQz52xjNsp
— Dunk Bait (@DunkBait) January 4, 2019
As Leonard enters the veteran portion of his career, he still keeps constant communication with his mother, showing her the utmost respect as he still reaches out to her for advice. Say what you want about Leonard's shyness towards the media, but at least he has made the love for his family very clear.
“My mom, she’s been (this age) before,” Kawhi told the San Antonio Express-News. “She’s been through this life cycle. I definitely try to use her knowledge and her wisdom to help me in my day of life.”
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