Toronto Raptors forward Kawhi Leonard's college coach at San Diego State, Steve Fisher, saw Leonard as a secondary player while he was recruiting the future NBA superstar, according to Eric Koreen of The Athletic. But Fisher didn't see this as a bad thing. He told Koreen:
“He played second fiddle to some of the other guys. From my perspective and San Diego State’s, that wasn’t bad.”
At the time, Fisher had no way of knowing that the teenager he was scouting would go on to become an NBA All-Star and a future Finals MVP. But Fisher and his coaching staff liked his versatility and they thought he had the potential to add a lot to his offensive game.
They weren't wrong about that. Leonard averaged 14.1 points and 10.2 rebounds in his two seasons at San Diego State. He went from playing second fiddle to being a dominant force on the court. While some coaches recruiting Leonard probably didn't see him as the guy to build your team around, Fisher lauded Kawhi's versatility.
The idea of Leonard playing second fiddle to anyone seems unbelievable now, but it's not nearly as crazy as one might think. He has always preferred to fly under the radar off the court. For the early years in his NBA career, he did play second fiddle to guys like Tim Duncan, Tony Parker, and Manu Ginobili.
But even when he wasn't the focal point of the offense, Leonard was almost always the best defender on the court and did the little things to help his team win. Playing second fiddle sounds like a knock on Leonard, but it just means that he was adept at fitting into the concept of a team.
Obviously, much has changed regarding Leonard since his college days with Fisher. His rise to superstardom was not always a sure thing.
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