Kawhi Leonard might be the best player in the NBA Finals, but his star doesn't shine as brightly as the Warriors'.
The 27-year-old does not reside in the spotlight the same way Steph Curry or Kevin Durant do, and he's quite alright with that.
"I'm not playing the game for that reason," Leonard told reporters in Toronto on Wednesday. "I'm playing to have fun, and trying to be the best player that I can be. I'm happy with myself and what I've done in my career, and I'm just gonna keep going from there. It's not about me being famous, or me wanting to have more fame than those guys. It's about me playing basketball."
Leonard famously is a blank slate to most NBA fans, with the biggest glimpses of his personality coming from a meme-able laugh and tasting strange pizza toppings. Even his shoe sponsor -- New Balance -- seems on-brand bland.
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But after playing just nine games last season, Leonard is reminding the league that his game is not particularly boring. Leonard is averaging 31.2 points per game this postseason, which is more than any other player in the Raptors' quarter-century of existence.
The Warriors will have their hands full with the pending free-agent forward -- with or without their own in Kevin Durant. The spotlight might focus on other players during The Finals, but Leonard surely will be the center of Golden State's attention.
