NBA Champion Reveals Story of Kawhi Leonard Destroying Him in Rookie Year

OKC Thunder star Jalen Williams told a story about matching up against LA Clippers star Kawhi Leonard

Apr 13, 2025; San Francisco, California, USA; LA Clippers forward Kawhi Leonard (2) brings the ball up court against the Golden State Warriors during the third quarter at Chase Center. Mandatory Credit: Robert Edwards-Imagn Images | Robert Edwards-Imagn Images

LA Clippers superstar forward Kawhi Leonard has been one of the NBA's top talents for years, especially on the defensive side of the ball. The six-time All-Star made his first All-Defensive Team in the 2013-14 season, and since then, has won Defensive Player of the Year twice and has racked up seven All-Defensive honors.

Leonard, 34, continues to dominate on both ends of the floor, and the two-time Finals MVP has cemented himself as not only one of the best defenders to play the game, but one of the best small forwards in NBA history.

Kawhi Leonard is a matchup nightmare

Mar 21, 2023; Los Angeles, California, USA; LA Clippers forward Kawhi Leonard (2) shoots the ball against Oklahoma City Thunder center Olivier Sarr (30) and forward Jalen Williams (8) in the first half at Crypto.com Arena. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images | Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

Leonard has some of the best defensive instincts the league has ever seen, and has always been able to use his 6-foot-7 frame and 7-foot-3 wingspan to his advantage. Especially when he is matched up against younger players, Leonard always gets his way. While Leonard is an all-time defensive presence, his progression as an offensive superstar has been incredible.

Oklahoma City Thunder star and recent NBA champion Jalen Williams talked about his "welcome to the league" moment, telling a story about when he was matched up against Leonard during his rookie season.

"We beat the Clippers, and Kawhi had a horrible game. I did a good job guarding him. But we played them back-to-back. He started the [second] game out [shooting] nine for nine on me," Williams said. "We go back to the huddle, and Mark [Daigneault]'s like, 'He's busting your a** Jalen. You need a switch?' I looked at him and I was like, 'Yeah.' Yeah, so Kawhi went nine for nine."

Jalen Williams talks about kawhi giving him one of his first welcome to the nba moments pic.twitter.com/A9Rgbt5v6N

— Jamal Cristopher (@JamCristopher) August 28, 2025

Williams is referencing a game between the Clippers and Thunder on March 23, where Leonard finished with 32 points on 13-15 shooting from the field, 3-4 from beyond the arc, and 10-11 from the free-throw line. Williams did hold his own, dropping 16 points on 7-12 shooting, but LA ran away with a 22-point win, and Leonard certainly took advantage of having a rookie defending him.

Leonard is one of the premier two-way talents in NBA history, especially with how efficient he is on offense. The only thing that has held Leonard back from being regarded as one of the best players in league history is injuries, but he still manages to dominate on both ends of the floor. Leonard is still looking to lead LA to a championship, and the 2025-26 season could be their last chance.