By Damon Knight, Tribune Correspondent
It seems like wherever Kawhi Leonard goes he leaves behind a legacy of good fundamental basketball, team play and the will to win games. That’s how former assistant and now the head coach of the San Diego State Aztecs Brian Dutcher, 60, remembers Leonard in his days at SDSU. “I remember what a great teammate he was,” Dutcher said. “When I look back at Kawhi’s highlights, everybody looks at the scoring. I look back and I can’t believe what an incredible passer he was. I think that was undervalued by people, that Kawhi was a great playmaker for others and all he wanted to do was win.” That bears out in his NBA career, that he’s more concerned with winning than anything. ”
Leonard, 28, played 70 games with SDSU, averaging 14.1 points a game, 10.2 rebounds, 2.2 assists, 44.9 percent shooting and 25 percent shooting on 3’s. He led the Aztecs to a 34-3 record in his freshman year with possibly the greatest team in their school’s history. In addition, Kawhi went to two NCAA Tournaments in just two seasons with the team, going as far as the Sweet 16 round and eventually losing to the 2011 NCAA champs the UConn Huskies. Kawhi would enter the 2011 NBA Draft the following year and go 15th overall to the San Antonio Spurs. He spent parts of 7 seasons with the Spurs, winning 1 NBA title and a Finals MVP in 2014. In 2018, they traded Leonard to the Toronto Raptors where he would win them their first title in franchise history and capture another Finals MVP. Because of all the accolades, his former school decided it was time to honor Leonard by retiring his #15 jersey to the rafters. SDSU will hold a ceremony during halftime on February 1st when the Aztecs take on Utah State at home at Viejas Arena. “To be the first to have your jersey hung in the arena is an incredible honor, and well deserved by Kawhi.” Said, coach Brian Dutcher.
