Thanks for the memories: Kawhi

Leonard shows some appreciation to Toronto, looks ahead to Clippers championship

Toronto Raptors fans now have photo evidence: Kawhi Leonard is no longer a member of their favourite team.

Leonard and fellow superstar Paul George were introduced on Wednesday as the faces of the Los Angeles Clippers, the new betting favourites to win the 2019-20 NBA championship.

In his first musings since spurning the Raptors to head to California earlier this month, the low-key Leonard offered some thanks — in his typically understated form — to his former teammates, who helped him claim his second title, and to the organization as a whole.

Interestingly, there was not a specific shoutout to the Raptors medical staff that nursed him back to MVP form following an injury-ravaged, nine-game final season with the San Antonio Spurs, or the squad’s front office.

“I want to thank the Toronto Raptors fans — I don’t have social media or I’m not able to put out a paragraph or whatever — but I thank all of Toronto, the city, the country. It was a great, amazing season. Best parade ever,” Leonard said at the media conference.

He clearly enjoyed Canada’s health-care practitioners.

“Thanks to the doctors for delivering my baby, my baby boy. He’s three months now, still healthy,” Leonard said.

“You know, the players, they already know what’s up, text, Facetime, real talk. Coaching staff as well. The whole organization, really. I just thank the whole city.”

Leonard was joined on stage by George, Clippers owner Steve Ballmer, president Lawrence Frank and head coach Doc Rivers, and quickly shifted gears.

“But now I’m on my next journey. These guys, I think we got a great future,” he said.

“I want to win again. And just this opportunity for us to just build our own, you know what I mean, to make history — they haven’t been to the Finals,” Leonard said. “They haven’t won the Finals. So we know that was something big and exciting for me to, you know, make my decision.”