Kawhi Leonard Becomes 3rd Player Ever to Win NBA Finals MVP With 2 Different Teams
By Sam Dunn
The Klaw would NOT be denied.
The impossible rim-rattling buzzer-beater to defeat the 76ers. The relentless will to charge through the No. 1-seeded Bucks. The guile to outclass the two-time defending champion Warriors in the Finals. In so many ways, Raptors superstar Kawhi Leonard simply put forth a playoff performance for the history books. And now, after being named 2019 NBA Finals MVP, he's joined an exclusive club that includes two of the greatest players ever to step on the hardwood.
Kawhi Leonard joins LeBron James and Kareem Abdul-Jabar as the ONLY players to win Finals MVP with MULTIPLE teams. pic.twitter.com/aNiUYMGr8d
— CBS Sports HQ (@CBSSportsHQ) June 14, 2019
Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, LeBron James, Kawhi Leonard. Those are the three players -- the only three -- to win Finals MVP with two different teams.
Not bad, man. Not bad at all.
The Toronto Raptors are NBA Champions! Turns out Kawhi was The One to take down the Warriors dynasty. pic.twitter.com/pDXfE27vo7
— 12up (@12upSport) June 14, 2019
Leonard capped off the series with 22 points, 6 rebounds, and 3 assists, including three clutch free throws in the dying seconds to seal up the win. Even if he doesn't play one single second more for Toronto -- he is a free agent this summer, after all -- he'd depart as the greatest player in Raptors franchise history.
And it would take a whole hell of a lot for anyone to change that.