Although he left the Alamo City on strained terms, Kawhi Leonard has largely been a supporter of the San Antonio Spurs since the 2018 trade that sent him to the Toronto Raptors. After a 116–112 loss, in which his Los Angeles Clippers blew a 25-point lead, Clough didn't hesitate in praising the organization he helped win an NBA title in 2014.
After their first meeting of the season, ClutchPoints asked Leonard if he thought the young Spurs were ahead of schedule.
"Obviously, probably no one thought they'd be this good so quickly. But, they have great individual players, a great coaching staff. The organization has always known how to win basketball here. So, they're putting everything together," the seven-time NBA All-Star responded.
Los Angeles' leading scorer then fouled out his Spurs counterpart.
"This team; the league is young. So it's all about speed and run and if you have a shooter at the five, like Wembey or anybody who can shoot threes and block shots, your chances of winning are even greater."
"...Probably no one thought they'd become so good so quickly... They have great individual players, great coaching staff. The organization always knows how to win...
They're just putting it all together..."⬇️-Talked to the poet about what he thinks #spurs are ahead of schedule#porvida pic.twitter.com/IYX2uDbPBa
- Hector Ledesma (@HectorLedesmaTV) 7 March 2026
Victor Wembanyama scored 27 in just 22 minutes, but the 2023 first overall draft pick wasn't the only standout spurt to earn praise from the 34-year-old star.
"[Stephon] Cassel is playing very well, had a great rookie year and has taken a step forward this year and gotten better. I like what he's doing on the court. He is getting better. "It's fun to go out there and compete against younger guys, giving us some advantages here and there," Leonard said of San Antonio's star guard.
"When you're trying to win a game, you've got to play on both ends of the floor," the two-time NBA champion said.
Leonard finished with a game-high 30 points for a Clippers team that advanced from play-in contention in the Silver and Black.
"You never know. Nobody can say if they are ahead of schedule or not, you just have to see how it all plays out," the former Spur concluded from ClutchPoints about the team finishing second in the Western Conference.
"We've been steady, but you've got to give the Spurs credit," Leonard added. "They're a great defensive team, they have some great individual defenders. Wembey is unbelievable and he made us miss shots."
Kawhi Leonard downplays constant ridicule from Spurs fans
Leonard, once considered the next face of a proud franchise, was essentially forced out of San Antonio when he requested a trade following a lengthy controversy centered on an injury that led to a strained relationship. Since then, the 2011 first-round pick has often been criticized when he won Finals MVP in 2014.
Leonard said the boo birds don't bother him.
"As soon as the game starts, you hear that. But after a while, you hear the cheers and I get a lot of love whenever I walk around town. So, like I said before, it's a competitive fan base, so they're not going to be on the court cheering for you to score. But after the game, it's all love."
Some, perhaps many, fans in San Antonio would not agree. However one thing is certain. Leonard doesn't mind showing these Spurs love.
