Proving his worth

When you’re on a team with Tim Duncan, Manu Ginobili, and Tony Parker it’s easy to get lost behind such star power. Although, in the 2014 NBA Finals there is one player on the Spurs that has shot out from behind the curtain. We all knew that Kawhi Leonard was a young kid on the rise, but he has truly proven his worth during the Finals.

A Swiss army knife of a player, Leonard can do just about everything you ask of him. He can defend the elite players of the league and score efficiently both inside and out. His calm, stoic demeanor is a great quality that lends itself to strong locker room chemistry. He is also a player that you can build your team around in the future and one who fits in on an elite team like the Spurs. Kawhi is transitioning from pivotal role player to up and coming star, and it’s only a matter of time before he becomes the face of the Spurs franchise.

One thing that other teams around the league can be sure about is that Kawhi is going to be a Spur for a long time. That being said, GM’s league-wide would salivate at the chance to have a player with a similar skill set. Kawhi would especially be a perfect fit to go along with this current Memphis squad, but that unfortunately isn’t realistic as of now.

When it comes to Memphis, what the Grizzlies can and should focus on is trying to find a young, similar player to Leonard. The problem is that he is a rare commodity in terms of what he can do on the court and in the locker room. A player like Leonard might not come around for a while, so it could be a bit before we see someone similar. As we’ve seen this year, having a player like Kawhi can push a team over the edge towards championship contender. He has also shown how important he has been against the Heat, and he continues to prove his importance every game.

Hopefully in the future another Kawhi-like player comes along and the Grizzlies will be able to pick him up. For now, all that we can do is watch him as basketball fans, and appreciate what he brings to the game.