Toronto Raptors forward Kawhi Leonard is known as one of the best one-on-one defenders in the game today. The fact that he has won the Defensive Player of the Year award twice in his career is a testament to this fact.
However, a Redditor who goes by the username u/Title recently shared an old video of Leonard showing off his more unconventional defensive tactics. In the 25-second clip, Leonard is seen defending former Cleveland Cavaliers guard Kyrie Irving with a rather peculiar approach.
Now with the Boston Celtics, Irving has a reputation of having one of the best handles in the game today, and perhaps even of all time. This makes him a nightmare assignment for defenders, and more often than not, Irving is able to get the better of them.
Even premier defender Kawhi Leonard has trouble going one-on-one against Irving, and the video above shows how a dirty tactic — which may or may not have been intentional — was effective in stopping Irving during that particular play.
By extending his left foot, Leonard stepped on Irving's right foot, thereby limiting the point guard's mobility, and ultimately causing him to fall to the ground. The former San Antonio Spurs star does not have a reputation as a dirty player, but the sly smile on his face immediately following the play may cause some to question whether there was actually some premeditated intent on the side of Leonard.
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