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SPORTS Saturday 28 december 2019
The Fun Guy: Kawhi Leonard is the AP’s male athlete of 2019

By TIM REYNOLDS Patrick Mahomes, ten-
He was the Fun Guy. The nis star Rafael Nadal and
board man who got paid. reigning NBA MVP Giannis
He overcame injury to re- Antetokounmpo of the Mil-
claim his rightful place as waukee Bucks.
one of the very best bas- “Kawhi’s pretty steady,”
ketball players on the plan- said San Antonio coach
et. He conquered the NBA Gregg Popovich, Leon-
world for a second time, ard’s former coach with
bringing a championship the Spurs. “He’s not a big
to Canada. And then he talker. He doesn’t try to find
joined the Los Angeles Clip- the limelight or anything like
pers, ready to start anew. that. He’s just a good guy
“What it do, baby?” who wanted to be good.”
For Kawhi Leonard in 2019, Somewhere along the way,
there finally is an answer he became great.
to his infamous question: Leonard was the best
He did everything, without player in last season’s play-
talking much. offs, after a regular sea-
Leonard is The Associated son where he missed 22
Press’ male athlete of the games mostly because of
year for 2019, comfortably what has become known
winning a vote by AP mem- as “load management”
ber sports editors and AP — the fancy term used on
beat writers. He becomes nights when he would sit
the fifth NBA player to win out to rest. Leonard missed
the award, joining Larry Bird most of the 2017-18 season Los Angeles Lakers' LeBron James, left, and Los Angeles Clippers' Kawhi Leonard (2) chase the
(1986), three-time recipi- with the Spurs because of a ball during the second half of an NBA basketball game Wednesday, Dec. 25, 2019, in Los Angeles.
ent Michael Jordan (1991 complicated leg issue, and The Clippers won 111-106.
through 1993), three-time the NBA said last month Associated Press
recipient LeBron James that he is still dealing with
(2013, 2016, 2018) and “an ongoing injury to the During the NBA Finals, it was he’s definitely up there. the next unforgettable say-
Stephen Curry (2015). The patella tendon in his left revealed that Leonard filed Your respect just grows. ing. “Fun Guy, what’s up
award has been made an- knee.” a federal lawsuit against Push, pull, whatever he’s baby?” Ibaka asked.
nually since 1931, and Sim- He was limping at times in Nike and claimed the foot- got to do. ... He’s going to The answer was classic
one Biles was announced the playoffs, but it didn’t wear and apparel giant find a way.” Leonard. Short, sweet, to
Thursday as the women’s matter. He averaged 30.5 was blocking him from us- During the playoffs, Leon- the point.
recipient for 2019. points and 9.1 rebounds ing a logo that he believes ard’s “I’m a fun guy” quote “I’m playing to have fun
Leonard was the NBA Finals in the postseason, his 732 he owns. that he offered on his ar- and try to be the best play-
MVP for the second time, points in last year’s playoffs “There’s a lot of guys that rival in Toronto became a er I can be,” Leonard said.
leading Toronto to its first ranking as the third-most in are like, ‘Look, I’m going to meme and a marketing “I’m happy with myself and
championship — five years any NBA playoff year. In the find a way to win and in a slogan. So did his “Board what I have done in my ca-
after he first smudged his biggest times, he came up seven-game series I’m go- man gets paid” line. And reer and I’m just going to
fingerprints on both tro- the biggest — 15 points in ing to get the best of you after the Raptors won the keep on from there. It’s not
phies with the San Antonio the fourth quarter to carry in the end,’” said Miami’s title, Serge Ibaka’s video of about me being famous or
Spurs. He wound up leav- Toronto past Milwaukee in Jimmy Butler, who was with Leonard went viral — they want to have more fame
ing the Raptors in the sum- the series-turning Game 5 Philadelphia last season were in the back of a car, than those guys. It’s about
mer for the Clippers, return- of the Eastern Conference and saw up-close what on the way to the parade, me playing basketball and
ing to his native Southern finals, and 17 points in the makes Leonard tick. “But and Ibaka teed him up for having fun on the floor.”q
California and turning the fourth quarter of Game 4
historically woeful franchise of the NBA Finals against
into one of the top teams in Golden State to put the
the league. Raptors on the cusp of the
“The ride was fun,” Leon- title.
ard said earlier this month And, of course, he made
on his return trip to Toronto, The Shot: the four-bounce-
summing up his year with off-the-rim, at-the-buzzer
the Raptors. “I had a great jump shot from the cor-
time.” ner to beat Philadelphia
By now, it’s no secret that in Game 7 of the second
Leonard is a man of few round.
words. “Without a doubt,” Raptors
He is not a man of few ac- coach Nick Nurse mused
complishments. during the playoff run, “the
He received more than best thing about this thing
twice as many points in is that somehow I wound
the balloting as any of the up on the sideline getting
other 18 vote-getters. Balti- to watch this guy play up
more Ravens quarterback close.”
Lamar Jackson was sec- Leonard performed at that
ond, followed by Kansas lofty level even while deal-
City Chiefs quarterback ing with a major distraction.