The process to recruit Kawhi Leonard to San Diego State was eerily similar to what three huge NBA fan bases are experiencing now — a whole lot of radio silence and uncertainty.
The Toronto Raptors, Los Angeles Lakers and L.A. Clippers have met with the star forward and recently-crowned NBA champion, but his camp wants no leaks and absolutely no noise coming from those meetings.
Justin Hutson, then a young college assistant coach at San Diego State during 2008, went through the same process when trying to lure a mitt-handed, long-striding Leonard to his campus — soon realizing the star wasn't fond of picking up his phone.
Now the head coach for Fresno State basketball, Hutson remembers trying to get a hold of Leonard and repeatedly getting nothing but endless beeps.
“He was just trying to mind his own business, play basketball,” Hutson, according to Andrew Greif of the Los Angeles Times, “and be around the people he wants to be around.”
Now 11 years later, the fate of NBA free agency is largely hinging on Leonard's decision, one Hutson claims he will make on his own terms.
“He’s going to make [his decision] on his own terms, his own time,” said Hutson. “He’s going to talk to the people important to him about it. He’s not going to be out leaking every little bit or have an announcement.”
Leonard has been regarded as a meek, often reserved person, but Hutson still remembers enjoying the experience of seeking him out and learning who he is.
“It was a fun recruitment, but he didn’t talk a whole lot. It wasn’t hard having a conversation with him at all if you were one-on-one with him. He wasn’t going to waste words. I think there are people trying to see that now, that he does have a personality. He has a really good personality. He’s just not going to volunteer it.”
The Raptors likely already know this after a year with him, but the Lakers and Clippers will have to learn to accept that, should they be the winners of the Kawhi sweepstakes whenever he chooses to make his decision.
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