The San Antonio Spurs always seem to find players that fit their mold, both on the court and off it, and rarely have to change their philosophies to fit that of a member of their roster, be they new or tenured.
They hit the mold jackpot with former San Diego State standout Kawhi Leonard.
The 7-year pro was the 2014 NBA Finals MVP, has been voted to two consecutive NBA All-Defensive Team, won the Defensive POY award last season, and signed a $90 million contract this past off-season. Still, according to some details that Sports Illustrated‘s Lee Jenkins–yeah, the guy that helped announce LeBron’s return to Cleveland–was able to uncover, Leonard still operates as if he’s making, far, far, far less than that. According to the piece, not only does Leonard drive an old 1997 Chevy Tahoe (despite owning a Porsche), but when he lost his book of Wing Stop coupons, he got in touch with the company and requested a fresh batch, a request they complied with.
The kicker? Wing Stop has an sponsorship deal with Leonard. The forward’s off-court lifestyle seems to mirror his blue collar, everyman’s demeanor on the court, which has helped power him to career numbers of 21 points, 7 rebounds and just under 3 assists per game. That same demeanor that has made Tim Duncan a surefire Hall of Famer, and Manu Ginobli and Tony Parker two of the most dependable players at their respective positions over the last 15 years.
