Toronto Raptors head coach Nick Nurse thinks Gregg Popovich is wrong about Kawhi Leonard.
Popovich recently grabbed headlines when he claimed that Leonard wasn't a leader during his time with the San Antonio Spurs. Coach Pop even said that Manu Ginobili and Patty Mills were the leaders for them — particularly last year — while LaMarcus Aldridge has gone a long way to become one of the key voices of the team.
Nurse, however, speaks up in response to Popovich's remarks and defends Leonard, whom he called “a good leader” despite his quiet and soft-spoken nature.
Nurse says Kawhi is a good leader and has shown leadership qualities.
Admits he's quiet. But says he's more gregarious than many people may think.
— Eric Smith (@Eric__Smith) November 25, 2018
After last season's drama, it's hard to blame Popovich for his take on Leonard. Besides, the two-time All-Star and two-time Defensive Player of the Year lost the locker room last season and received plenty of criticisms for his lack of leadership.
Nonetheless, it's safe to say Leonard is experiencing some sort of renaissance in Toronto. He has already played in 14 games (all starts) for the Raptors, averaging 24.4 points, 8.4 rebounds, 3.1 assists and 1.8 steals. It is unarguably one of the best campaigns in his career, putting him well on track for another All-Star appearance.
Kyle Lowry remains the leader of the team, but it's clear Leonard has also taken a huge role to help the Raptors and his teammates. Toronto is currently 16-4, boasting the best record in the Eastern Conference and in the NBA.