The T-Wolves were Division 1 champions for the Morneo Valley National Junior Basketball League. Back from left: Assistant coach Jonica Lewis, assistant coach Kimberly Carter, Ryan Robinson, Cedrick Redmond, Marquise Cox, Head coach Eric Fredieu. Front from left: Kevin Grant, Christopher Muldrew, Joshua Hemphill, Dominic Fredieu, Muhammad Umrani, Taaj Brown, Kawhi Leonard, team mascot Leon Brown.

King’s Kawhi Leonard loses the rebound to Westchester Dwayne Polee during first half action in the CIF Southern California Regional playoff game in Los Angeles on Saturday. (David Bauman/The Press-Enterprsie)

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Kings Kawhi Leonard scores on reverse lay-up in the second half. King High boys host Redlands in CIF-SS game on Tuesday Feb. 24. Riverside on 01/10/09. (Kurt Miller, The Press-Enterprise)

Riverside Kings’ #24 Kawhi Leonard, left, and #32 Eysan Toole, right, battle for the ball against Taft Toreadors’ #15 Terran Carter during the first half of the game. King HS won the game in overtime. (The Press-Enterprise/Ed Crisostomo)

Riverside Kings’ #24 Kawhi Leonard, left, goes high for the shot against Taft Toreadors’ #24 Bryce Smith during the first half of the game. King HS won the game in overtime. (The Press-Enterprise/Ed Crisostomo)



Centennial’s Dominique, left, tries to block a shot by King’s Kawhi Leonard in the second half at Centennial High School in Corona January 6, 2009. (Silvia Flores/The Press-Enterprise)

Kawhi Leonard, right, of King moves up court having pulled down a rebound while playing Mater Dei for the CIF-SS Division 1AA boys basketball championship. (William Wilson Lewis III/The Press-Enterprise)

Kawhi Leonard, left, of King tries to get around David Wear, right, Mater Dei during the CIF-SS Division 1AA boys basketball championship. (William Wilson Lewis III/The Press-Enterprise)

Kim Robertson, left, (mom) and Miesha Robertson, right, (sister) hug Kawhi Leonard, of King, center, after a 76-56 win over Mater Dei for the CIF-SS Division 1AA boys basketball championship. (William Wilson Lewis III/The Press-Enterprise)

Chris Harriel, left, is greeted by Kawhi Leonard, right, both from King, after having made a lead changing play.



King forward Kawhi Leonard passes the ball down court as Westchester’s Denzel Douglas, left, and Dominique O’conner apply pressure during first half action of their CIF Southern California Regional playoff game in Los Angeles on Saturday. (David Bauman/The Press-Enterprsie)

Chris Harriel, left, Kawhi Leonard, Jeff Dietz, (assistant coach) and Tim Sweeney Jr., right, (head coach) all from King celebrate at the end of the game having beat Mater Dei for the CIF-SS Division 1AA boys basketball championship. (William Wilson Lewis III/The Press-Enterprise)

Left to Right. Kawhi Leonard of King High School, tries to pass the ball over Andrew Pulsipher of Temecula Valley High School during the first half of the game at King High School in Riverside. Riverside, California. December 18, 2007. (The Press-Enterprise/Ramon Mena Owens)

Kawhi Leonard of King High School, looks to pass during a game against Temecula Valley High School at King High School in Riverside. Riverside, California. December 18, 2007. (The Press-Enterprise/Ramon Mena Owens)

Kings’ #23 Xavier Muldrom and Kawhi Leonard block the pass by Fremonts’ Laron Armstead in the second half of the first round of the CIF state boys basketball playoffs March 3, 2008 in Riverside. (The Press-Enterprise/Terry Pierson)



Kings’ Kawhi Leonard takes the court against Fremont for the start of the of the first round of the CIF state boys basketball playoffs March 3, 2008 in Riverside. (The Press-Enterprise/Terry Pierson)

King High School’s Kawhi Leonard, right, blocks the ball against Centennial’s Dominique Dunning in the 1st half of their basketball game at King High School in Riverside on Thursday, January 29, 2009. (Stan Lim/The Press Enterprise)

King’s Kawhi Leonard pulls down a rebound against Fremont in first half of the first round of the CIF state boys basketball playoffs March 3, 2008 in Riverside. (The Press-Enterprise/Terry Pierson)

King High School’s Kawhi Leonard, left, challenges Centennial’s Dominique Dunning in the 1st half of their basketball game at King High School in Riverside on Thursday, January 29, 2009. (Stan Lim/The Press Enterprise)

Kawhi Leonard of King glides to the hoop in the second half. King Riverside boys basketball hosts Tesoro at King in second round of the 2009 CIF State Basketball Championships on 3/10/09. (Kurt Miller, The Press-Enterprise)



Kawhi Leonard goes up for two against Taft in the second half. King Riverside boys basketball hosts Woodland Hills Taft at King in regional semifinal round of the 2009 CIF State Basketball Championships on 3/12/09. (Kurt Miller, The Press-Enterprise)

Kawhi Leonard takes out Justin Hawkins as he drives to the hoop in the second half. King Riverside boys basketball hosts Woodland Hills Taft at King in regional semifinal round of the 2009 CIF State Basketball Championships on 3/12/09. (Kurt Miller, The Press-Enterprise)

Cajon’s Layshia Clarendon, 17, (girls high school basketball player of the year), center, Rancho Verde’s Michael Snaer, 18, left, and King’s Kawhi Leonard, 17, (boys high school basketball co-players of the year). (Ed Crisostomo/The Press-Enterprise)

Cajon’s Layshia Clarendon, 17, (girls high school basketball player of the year) left to right,, Rancho Verde’s Michael Snaer, 18, and King’s Kawhi Leonard, 17, ( boys high school basketball co-players of the year). (Ed Crisostomo/The Press-Enterprise)

UC Riverside’s Brandon Dowdy, center, and Sean Cunningham, right, defend against San Diego State’s Kawhi Leonard, left, in the second half at Viejas Arena in San Diego, Calif., Dec. 29, 2009. (Silvia Flores/The Press-Enterprise)



San Diego State forward Kawhi Leonard shoots the ball over Green Bay’s Daniel Turner, left in the second half of an NCAA college basketball game, Saturday, Nov. 20, 2010, in Oxford, Ohio. (AP Photo/Tony Tribble)

San Diego State’s Kawhi Leonard (15) shoots over San Diego’s Devin Ginty (3) during the first half of an NCAA college basketball game Saturday, Dec. 11, 2010, in San Diego. (AP Photo/Denis Poroy)

San Diego State’s Kawhi Leonard gets clotheslined by Air Force’s Michael Lyons during the first half of an NCAA college basketball game Tuesday Feb. 2, 2010, in San Diego. (AP Photo/Lenny Ignelzi)

San Diego State’s Kawhi Leonard, right, shoots over Cal State Fullerton’s Orange Chin, center, and Bryce Webster during the second half of an NCAA college basketball game Wednesday, Dec. 9, 2009 in San Diego. Leonard scored 23 points in San Diego State’s 82-68 win. (AP Photo/Denis Poroy)

San Diego State forward Kawhi Leonard drives toward the basket against Air Force forward Grant Parker during an NCAA college basketball game at Air Force Academy, Colo., Saturday, March 6, 2010. (AP Photo/The Gazette, Christian Murdock)



San Diego State’s Kawhi Leonard, left, drives on IUPUI’s Alex Young during the first half of an NCAA college basketball game at the Las Vegas Holiday Hoops Classic tournament on Wednesday Dec. 22, 2010 in Las Vegas. (AP Photo/Mark Damon)

San Diego State’s Kawhi Leonard, right, drives the ball against California’s Nigel Carter during the first half of an NCAA college basketball game Wednesday, Dec. 8, 2010, in Berkeley, Calif. (AP Photo/Ben Margot)

San Diego State’s Kawhi Leonard, left, drives past Cal State Fullerton’s Orane Chin during the first half of an NCAA college basketball game Wednesday, Dec. 9, 2009 in San Diego. (AP Photo/Denis Poroy)

San Diego State forward Kawhi Leonard, left, shoots over Long Beach State guard Larry Anderson during the first half of an NCAA college basketball game in Long Beach, Calif., Saturday, Nov. 13, 2010. (AP Photo/Chris Carlson)

Kawhi Leonard raised his arms high in triumph and celebrated Canada’s first NBA championship Thursday night.

But before being crowned the NBA’s world champion he reigned king of the court at Martin Luther King Jr. High School in Riverside where the team won the CIF-SS Division 1AA boys basketball championship in 2009.

Leonard began his basketball career in Moreno Valley and played at Canyon Springs High School before transferring to MLK Jr. High School where he played his junior and senior years.

After high school Leonard went to San Diego State University where he helped the Aztecs basketball team to two straight NCAA tournament appearances.

Leonard decided to forgo his last two years of college eligibility and entered the 2011 NBA draft where he was selected by the San Antonio Spurs as the 15th overall pick.

The Spurs were world champions of the 2014 season and Leonard was named MVP of the finals.