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On April 27, 2023, the night that basketball fans around the world have been waiting for has finally arrived, and the Williams Arena on the West Coast of the United States is filled with a warm and intimate atmosphere, and tonight, the global audience has poured in, and their eyes are focused on the king of the NBA court, Kawhi Leonard.
Before the bout, when Kawhi Leonard stepped into the stadium with steady steps, the invisible pressure emanating from him made it hard to take your breath away. His eyes were as sharp as lightning, and his face was grim, without the slightest hint of banter or ostentation.
This resolute and stoic temperament is the secret of his uniqueness, and it is also a key factor in the countless miracles he has created in the ring.
With the referee's whistle, Leonard is like a beast, unleashing his passion and talent on the court. He was on the defensive end keeping his eyes on his opponents, ready to make deadly tackles, and on offense, he was as agile as a cheetah, weaving through the crowd, leaping high and shaking the court with both hands on dunks.
This is Kawhi Leonard, a never-say-die "relentless strike machine" who conquered all challengers with his iron will and exquisite skill, and he is the closest contemporary Michael Jordan to the basketball god.
Tonight, we have the privilege of witnessing the 32-year-old's legendary moment again, recalling the moment he lifted the championship trophy in Toronto, and let's take a look back at his illustrious past.
To tell the story of Kawhi Leonard, we have to go back to June 29, 1991, when he was born in Los Angeles, California, USA. Although his family was shattered by the time he was born, his parents' meticulous love for him shaped his tenacious and independent character.
From an early age, sports became an integral part of Leonard's life. Watching him sweat tirelessly at home, Mark Leonard, as a father, was full of relief.
He taught his beloved sport of rugby, and father and son were inseparable, and Mark was not only a role model and role model for his son, but also his closest friend.
However, fate always plays tricks on people, and just as Leonard was young and frivolous, a sudden turn of events turned his life upside down. On January 18, 2008, Mark was shot and killed in his car wash, which undoubtedly caused Leonard a heavy psychological trauma.
Before the incident, Mark was on the phone with his son, and Leonard had planned to help out at the store after the day's training, but he chose to stay home for the next day's game.
This caused Leonard's already wounded heart to suffer even more profound pain and endless self-blame, as if the whole world was suddenly plunged into darkness.
From then on, the reticence was as deeply imprinted as Leonard's behavior towards outsiders.
In order to fill the void in his heart, Leonard threw himself into basketball training, hoping that through his outstanding performance, he would be able to make his deceased father feel extremely happy and proud in heaven.
It was precisely because of Mark's death that Leonard had to give up his beloved football and follow in the footsteps of his idol Michael Jordan and embark on the journey of professional basketball.
Mark once said frankly that Leonard was attracted to Jordan's "unique understanding and feeling" of basketball not just because of his six-time championship and superb ball skills.
In high school, Leonard was voted California Player of the Year for his otherworldly performances. Subsequently, he chose the University of San Diego, where he always maintained a diligent attitude, training hard day and night.
Every morning at 5 o'clock, while his peers were still asleep, Leonard had stepped into the gym alone, engrossed in his jump shots. By his sophomore year, he was averaging 15.7 points and 10.4 rebounds per game, which was impressive.
Such a stellar performance finally led to his selection in the 2011 NBA Draft with the 15th pick in the first round.
In 2011, Leonard, who is 6'7", was drafted by the San Antonio Spurs, marking the official start of his career. As a tall defender, Leonard has the natural potential to be a top-tier defender.
With his unbelievable reach, wide palms, unique basketball vision, and high concentration, he quickly became a sharp knife on the Spurs' defensive end.
Despite playing only 24 minutes in his rookie season, Leonard showed incredible talent, averaging 7.9 points and 5.1 rebounds per game while shooting nearly 50 percent from the field, which was enough to make him one of the Rookie of the Year.
The Spurs' veterans are looking forward to the rising star, especially veteran Tim Duncan, who will be hoping that Leonard can play a bigger role on the defensive end.
However, in his second season, Leonard led the Spurs to the Finals, when he was in his prime. However, at the critical moment in G6, he made two key free throw misses, which allowed the Heat to successfully defeat the Spurs and finally achieve a counterattack to win the championship.
For Leonard, who was young and ambitious, the loss in the Finals was like a heavy and powerful slap in the face, which woke him up deeply, but it also became a precious stepping stone to his success.
During that long offseason, Leonard decided to drastically extend his training time to as many as six hours a day! He actively studied and imitated Kobe's impeccable shooting skills, and devoted himself to improving his offensive skills, aiming to show even better next season.
Time flies, and in the blink of an eye, the 13-14 season has come, and the Spurs have once again stepped onto the stage of the Finals with their heads held high, and have started a thrilling peak showdown with the mighty Heat.
This season's Leonard, the defensive strength is like an iron wall, and the offense is unstoppable, which is beyond the reach of opponents.
From the third game to the fifth game, Leonard single-handedly carried the entire offensive line of the Spurs, he repeatedly played high scores and hit key shots on the court, and finally averaged 17.8 points and 6.4 rebounds per game, helping the Spurs to reverse the Heat with an absolute advantage of 4:1 and successfully win the championship.
After the game, the 22-year-old Leonard won the Finals Most Valuable Player (FMVP) award that season, becoming the youngest FMVP winner after the legendary superstar Magic Johnson, and finally realized last season's self-redemption.
In the following seasons, Leonard's offensive talent continued to flourish, and his points per game average steadily climbed. In the '16-17 season, he averaged an impressive 25.5 points per game and showed unparalleled dominance on the defensive end, earning him a second consecutive All-Defensive Team selection.
This season, Leonard is fierce on defense, and his offense is ever-changing and unbeatable. Even the Warriors, who were in full swing at the time, had to be careful when facing Leonard in the Western Conference finals.
Sadly, however, in the third game of the series, Leonard was forced off the court due to a controversial injury that ultimately led to the reimbursement of the entire season and missed out on subsequent opportunities.
The shadow of injury has always haunted Leonard, and when he returns to the field in the new season, he finds that he has not been able to fully return to his former peak form. The long-term exertion took a toll on his body, which also directly affected his performance on the pitch.
At the same time, the conflict between him and the Spurs management is gradually intensifying. There was a huge disagreement between the two sides on the assessment of Leonard's injury problem, and their understanding and patience were almost exhausted.
Public opinion has presented a variety of interpretations of this usually low-key star, and the public has speculated whether he can achieve glory again. Once upon a time, Leonard was revered as the leader of the San Antonio Spurs' post-GDP era, but now he is gradually alienated from his parent team, and the energy and fighting spirit of the past seem to be gone.
On the celebration training ground, he used to be preoccupied, but his eyes began to become erratic, and his movements were slightly hesitant. Still, in 2018, the Spurs made a jaw-dropping decision when they sent Leonard to the Toronto Raptors.
Leaving the Spurs was undoubtedly a bitter journey for the physically and mentally exhausted Leonard, but it also marked the end of a page of contradictions between the parent team and him, opening a new chapter in his life.
After joining the Toronto Raptors, Leonard was finally able to completely recover from the injuries he suffered during his time with the Spurs, and he opened a new chapter in his career here. Everything is full of life, and Leonard is like a beast reborn from the fire, sweeping all the way on the playoff stage and becoming a veritable "killer".
In the first round against the Orlando Magic, Leonard easily defeated his opponent with a score of 4:1 in only four games, showing extraordinary strength and confidence. In the second round against the challenge of the Philadelphia 76ers, although the opponent is strong, it still can't resist Leonard's edge.
In the first game, Leonard scored a career-high 45 points and won a good start for the Raptors. In the fourth game, he once again contributed 39 points and 14 rebounds to successfully equalize the overall score. In the crucial fifth game, Leonard turned the tide with the same amazing 39 points and 14 rebounds and forced the opponent into a tiebreaker.
In that high-profile tie-break, everyone thought that the injury-plagued Leonard might not be able to do it, but he proved his strength with amazing tenacity and perseverance.
Before the game, the host on the sidelines was preparing to interview Leonard's teammates, but was surprised to find the protagonist in front of the camera sitting quietly alone, with a faint tiredness on his face.
As expected! The moment the whistle sounded, Leonard was like a never-ending "fighting machine," moving forward in just 4.2 seconds, penetrating deep into the enemy line like a lone hero, and successfully leveling the score! Then, he bravely stood on the baseline and launched a challenging single attack, and drew the perfect end to this long and fierce contest with a controversial but unmistakable killer jumper.
In the following Eastern Conference Finals, facing the Milwaukee Bucks, the league's strongest team led by Giannis Antetokounmpo, who just won the MVP award, Leonard once again transformed into a ruthless "killer".
He successfully contained the offense of Brother Alphabet with his impeccable defensive skills, and at the same time tore apart the Bucks' defense with his incomparably sharp individual ability, and in the end, Leonard helped the Raptors reverse the Bucks with a score of 4:2 with his own efforts and strength, and successfully advanced to the Finals.
In the Finals, the Raptors were in full swing, and against the defending champion Golden State Warriors with a broken lineup, Leonard once again showed his true colors as a cold-blooded killer. Not only did he perfectly limit last season's FMVP winner Kevin Durant on the defensive end, but he was also like an unstoppable beast on the offensive end.
Finally, in the final game of the season, Leonard led the Raptors to victory over the Warriors, giving the team from Canada the first championship trophy in history.
"There's no doubt that Leonard is the best basketball player in the world today, and the future of the NBA is bound to belong to him!" commentator Barkley said of the "ruthless killer."