Kawhi Leonard apparently is a big ticket in his own right.
Los Angeles Clippers head coach Doc Rivers told The Boston Globe’s Gary Washburn last week the newly acquired superstar forward’s leadership style is similar to that of Kevin Garnett, albeit with one major difference.
“From afar, he reminds me a lot of Kevin (Garnett),” Rivers said. “He reminds me of a quiet version of Kevin. Imagine a Kevin Garnett that didn’t talk — his actions are why we followed Kevin. As verbal as Kevin was and as expressive as he was, if he didn’t follow through with his actions, none of that verbal stuff would have worked. So to me, from afar, he reminds me a lot of Kevin that way in that he tends to want to show you by example. That’s the best leadership.”
Rivers coached Garnett between 2007 and 2013 at the Boston Celtics, during which time the team won one NBA championship and reached at least the second round of the NBA playoffs every season except for one.
The Clippers acquired Leonard last month in free-agency on a reported four-year, $142-million maximum contract. He’ll link up with Rivers, Paul George and Co. on a new-look squad, which many predict will contend for an NBA championship.
If Leonard leads the Clippers to the promised land, he’ll do so with a quiet intensity Rivers will find somewhat familiar.
