After a magical 2018-19 campaign that saw him lead the Toronto Raptors to their first NBA title in franchise history, Kawhi Leonard returned to the city that embraced him and got his ring on Wednesday.
The California native returned to Canada for the first time since he won the NBA Finals with the Raptors during the summer as his new team, the Clippers, traveled to face Toronto.
In a pregame ceremony, both the fans and the franchise alike showed their appreciation and gratefulness to Leonard for his heroic performance last season. Despite choosing to sign with the Clippers during the offseason, it was evident on Wednesday that Toronto harbors no hard feelings towards their former leader.
The team showed a highlight video showing off some of Leonard’s most memorable moments during his lone season with the Raptors. After the video presentation, Leonard greeted his ex-teammates and former coach Nick Nurse before being given his championship ring.
Leonard spoke fondly about his season with the team after the game, saying, ” It was a special season for us, for me, for the whole city and country. I’m glad we were able to win. It was a blessing.”
The Clippers went on to win the game 112-92 to move to 19-7 on the season. Leonard finished with 23 points, 6 assists, and 5 rebounds.
