On March 16, 2012, Kawhi Leonard made an early statement in what would later become a playoff showdown. Sprinting in transition, he took a lead pass from Danny Green, turned the corner on James Harden, and exploded past the baseline to dunk over Serge Ibaka. The rookie finished with 15 points, 5 rebounds, and 3 steals, standing out in a tight loss to a Thunder team they’d face again in the Western Conference Finals. Leonard’s numbers didn’t shout, but his impact carried weight. Since then, he’s become a two-time NBA Champion, two-time Finals MVP, Defensive Player of the Year, and one of the game’s most feared two-way forces. That identity didn’t come later - it started here. · Mar 16, 2012