Toronto Raptors forward Kawhi Leonard was asked about “flying under the radar” during Wednesday's media availability ahead of the NBA Finals. As an NBA champion and three-time All-Star, Leonard has long been known as one of the best players in the league, but for whatever reason, he hasn't quite reached the level of popularity that some other stars have. Leonard says he isn't playing to be “famous,” however. He just wants to have fun while playing to the best of his ability:

“Does it ever bother you that you don't have as much notoriety as some of the other guys?” a reporter asked Leonard during Wednesday's presser.

“No,” Leonard replied. “I'm not playing the game for that reason. I'm out here playing to have fun and trying to be the best player I can be.

“I'm happy with myself and what I've done in my career, and I'm just going to keep going from there,” Leonard added. “It's not about me being famous or wanting to have more fame than those guys. It's about me playing basketball and having fun on the floor.”

Leonard may not be asking for it, but his level of fame is rising.

In 60 appearances with the Raptors during their 2018-19 regular season campaign (all starts), Leonard racked up averages of 26.6 points on 49.6 percent shooting from the field (37.1 percent from beyond the arc), 7.3 rebounds, 3.3 assists and 1.8 steals in 34.0 minutes per outing.

Article Continues Below

The postseason is where Leonard's play has shone brightest, though. He has made several decisive plays, including a game-winning shot against the Sixers that sent the Raptors into the Eastern Conference Finals.

With the score tied at 90 apiece and just over four seconds remaining on the game clock, Leonard drove to the corner and put up a jumper over the outstretched arm of Joel Embiid:

Now, with the entire nation of Canada at their backs, Leonard and the Raptors will make their first NBA Finals appearance in franchise history. The sledding won't be easy, though, as the Golden State Warriors will be looking to extend their streak of dominance in the championship round.