Small forward for the Los Angeles Clippers, Kawhi Leonard, as of 2023, holds a net worth of a staggering $80 million.
Kawhi has earned an enormous fortune from his super successful NBA career, and as per Spotrac, he has made more than $230.92 million just from NBA salaries.
The 31 year-old spirit animal of NBA fans is just a humble and quiet guy who does not like to attract unwanted attention or change his persona.
Before inking a deal with the Clippers, he played for San Antonio Spurs and Toronto Raptors.
Moreover, playing as a small forward, Kawhi is one of the complete players in the world, all thanks to his rare physical traits like amazing wingspan, huge hands, and athleticism.
Although starting his career as a defensive-oriented wing, he has now improved his scoring ability too.
Kawhi has his own legacy in the present NBA as a dynasty destroyer. He has won 2 NBA championships and became the finals MVP on both occasions.
Firstly, he put a brake in Heat 3 peat in 2014, later stopping Warriors in 2019.
Learn More About the exceptional player Kawhi Leonard.
Facts About Kawhi Leonard
| Name | Kawhi Anthony Leonard |
| Date of Birth | 29 June 1991 |
| Birth Place | Los Angeles, California, USA |
| Nick Name | The Claw, The Klaw |
| Age | 31 Years Old |
| Gender | Male |
| Religion | Unknown |
| Nationality | American |
| Ethnicity | Black |
| Horoscope | Cancer |
| Body Measurement | 47 inches (Chest), 16 inches (Arms), 33 inches (Waist) |
| Height | 6’7″/2.01 m/201 cm |
| Weight | 102 kgs/225 lb |
| Body Mass Index (BMI) | 25.3 |
| Build | Athletic |
| Wingspan | 2.21 m |
| Shoe size | 14 |
| Hair Colour | Black |
| Eye Colour | Black |
| Tattoo | Yes |
| Father name | Mark Leonard |
| Mother name | Kim Leonard |
| Siblings | 4 sisters |
| Relationship | Married |
| Wife | Kishele Shipley |
| Children | Kaliyah Leonard (daughter) and A Son |
| Profession | NBA Player |
| Position | Small Forward |
| Education | Canyon Springs, Martin Luther King (High School), San Diego State (College) |
| High School Ranking | 4-Star Recruit/ 56th Ranked (ESPN) |
| Draft | 2011 (15th overall pick) Drafted by Pacers Traded to Spurs |
| NBA Debut | 2011 |
| Team | Los Angeles Clippers |
| Previous Teams | San Antonio Spurs (2011-2018) Toronto Raptors (2018-2019) |
| Current Affiliations | NBA |
| Jersey Number | 2 |
| Salary | $44.06 Million |
| Net Worth | $80 Million |
| Social Media | |
| Achievements | 2x NBA champion, 2x NBA Finals MVP, 2x ALL NBA First Team, 5x NBA All-Star, 2x NBA Defensive Player of the year |
| Shoe | New Balance |
| Merch | Signed Card, Signed Basketball |
| Last Update | March 2023 |
Net Worth, Income And NBA Contracts
Net Worth And Income
Deemed one of the best players in the NBA, Kawhi is paid handsomely for his time on the court. As of 2023, Kawhi Leonard has a net worth of $80 million.
The Klaw is the 8th-highest paid player in the NBA and second among the Clippers squad behind Paul George.
Like most NBA players, Kawhi’s major source of income is his basketball career, with brand endorsements generating a hefty revenue.
With his current salary of $44.06 million, Leonard is unquestionably one of the highest-paid athletes in the world.
In fact, in 2022, Forbes ranked him at number 29 on its list of the World’s Highest-Paid Athletes with an income of $45.4 million, of which $39.4 million came from NBA salaries and the rest from endorsements.
Aside from NBA salaries and endorsements, Kawhi has invested his millions in several business ventures, which earns him a good amount of passive income.
NBA Contracts
On December 10, 2011, Leonard signed a 2-year/$3.54 million rookie scale contract with San Antonio Spurs.
The Spurs exercised a $1.89 million option for 2013-2014 and a $2.89 million option for 2014-2015.
On July 1, 2015, the Spurs signed Kawhi for a 5-year/ $94.3 million maximum contract with an average annual salary of $18.86 million.
Similarly, on June 23, 2019, he declined a $21.3 million option with the Raptors for the 2019-20 season and signed three years deal with the Clippers, worth $103 million, after being a free agent.
Likewise, he declined a $36 million Player Option with the Clippers for the 2021-22 season on August 1, 2021, and signed 4-year/$176.27 million extensions with a full amount guaranteed and an average annual salary of $44.06 million.
In 2022-23, Kawhi will earn a base salary of $42.49 million.
Endorsement And Business
Endorsement
Another major source of income for the Clippers’ small forward is his brand deals.
His fame has definitely made him one of the marketable players in the current NBA scene.
From endorsement deals, he earns roughly $5.5 million per year.
When Kawhi was drafted, he signed a shoe deal with Nike, making less than $500k a year.
However, things between the two parties turned soured as the negotiations eventually broke down.
One of the causes of the skirmishes was that Jordan Brand, Nike’s subsidiary, did not pay its athletes more than $10 million.
At the time, Kawhi was performing astonishingly well and had been nominated for the Most Valuable Player and the Defensive player of the year.
Leonard’s reps felt that the offer was not the one.
And that’s when New Balance jumped in and offered a significant sum of money, roughly above $5 million a season.
This, in turn, put Kawhi in the top 15 shoe endorsement deals in the NBA.
Collaborating with New Balance, Kawhi has already released three signature lines. His first shoe was released in 2019, and his second in 2020.
When his first shoe was released before Game 5 against the Sixers, it sold out in less than a minute in Canada.
In 2019, Kawhi sued Nike for the over usage of the “Klaw” logo, which he designed. The player won the case in 2020.
On March 12, 2023, while on the court, Leonard debuted a new colorway of his third signature shoe – the New Balance KAWHI III.
After winning the 2019 NBA championship, he earned a deal with Cargo Jet Airways based in Ontario.
Likewise, in February 2020, the small forward signed a sponsorship deal with Honey.
Businesses
In 2020, Kawhi joined as an investor and board of directors member for supplement company X2 Performance.
He is the face of the brand, using Kawhi’s image and likeness to expand. He was lured by X2 in a Series D funding round, raising about $14 million.
Furthermore, Kawhi has adored the momentum X2 is taking to enter the growing market of energy drinks.
Lifestyle
We all know Kawhi Leonard is a multimillionaire. He has already gained fame and wealth through his basketball career. But he likes to keep his lifestyle as simple as possible.
Cars
Kawhi’s choice of wheels shows he is not much of a car guy.
He still likes to drive the same car he owned during high school, the 1997 Chevrolet Tahoe, which he calls “Gas Guzzler.” He mentioned that he still drives the same old truck just because it runs.
Likewise, the Clippers star has a 2016 Subaru Forester SUV. Despite having millions in his pocket, Kawhi is adamant about not letting the glitzy L.A. life get to him.
Houses
One thing that Kawhi likes to spend his millions on is houses. As of now, he owns three houses in California worth $37 million.
In 2021, he purchased a $17 million house in Pacific Palisades, built in 2018. The property spans over 12,000 square feet and includes an infinity pool with a cabana and a 960-bottle wine cellar.
Likewise, it also has a 10-person movie theater, seven bedrooms, and 12 bathrooms. Although it was listed for $25 million in the market, he bought it for $17 million.
Moreover, while still playing for Toronto Raptors, Kawhi bought a 13,000 square feet property in Rancho Santa Fe for $13.3 million.
Lastly, he owns a penthouse near Staples Centre, which cost him $6.725 million. The house covers 4,280 square feet, featuring wooden floors, glass walls, a fitness center, and custom fireplaces.
The three-bedroom home also has well-mounted iPads to control the smart house.
Professional Career
Kawhi Leonard was picked 15th overall in the 2011 NBA Draft by the Indiana Pacers but traded to the San Antonio Spurs later that night.
During his debut season, he got selected for the 2012 Rising Challenger and came fourth in the Rookie of the Year award. He was also selected in the 2012 All-Rookie first team.
The Spurs advanced to the NBA Finals in 2013, facing the Miami Heat. Kawhi averaged 14.6 points and 11.1 rebounds during the finals as the Spurs lost the series in seven games.
However, the following season, Leonard led his team to victory against the Heat in the finals. He also won Finals MVP averaging 17.8 points on 61% shooting.
Later, Kawhi Leonard joined Hakeem Olajuwon and Michael Jordan to win both NBA Defensive Player and Finals MVP in the same season.
The next two seasons, he collected a back-to-back Defensive Player of the Year award. In 2016-17 he was named to his first All-NBA first teams selection.
Leonard missed the first 27 games of the following season with a right quadriceps injury, making his season debut on December 12, 2017, against the Mavericks.
During the same season, he got involved in disputes with the Spurs administration over his treatment.
After requesting for trade, Kawhi was traded to the Raptors. During his only season with the Raptors, he led the Canadian side to the championship.
Overall, he recorded 732 points in the playoffs and also won Finals MVP.
On 10th July 2019, Kawhi signed with the Clippers. In his debut against LA Lakers, he registered 30 points, six rebounds, and five assists.
He also won All-Star Game MVP in his first season with the Clippers.
Kawhi Leonard | Charity
Kawhi Leonard has been involved in several charitable initiatives after joining NBA.
In 2019, Kawhi, in partnership with Clippers Foundation and Baby2Baby, donated 1 million backpacks to Southern California schools. They intended to reduce stress on families with low income.
It was the largest donation made to LAUSD, where every student of Moreno Valley Unified, Inglewood Unified, and Los Angeles Unified School got backpacks.
Likewise, after winning the 2014-15 Defensive Player of the Year, Kawhi donated his new KIA Sorrento to a children’s charity, Respite Care.
Kawhi also has played in various charity events to raise funds for needy people.
Kawhi organizes free basketball camps for youngsters every year. He intends to help parents who can’t afford fees to attend pro players camp.
Quotes
- “Winning is motivation.”
- “I don’t care about winning an MVP – the MVP does not mean you’re the best player in the league.”
- “I’m just the same guy… I don’t need to be a celebrity or a superstar.”
Interesting Facts
- Kawhi is nicknamed The Klaw. The nickname suits him as his hands are 52% wider than the average man’s. According to New York Times, his huge hands measure 9.75 inches long, and from thumb to pinkie, it’s 11.25 inches.
- Growing up, Kawhi played football. But he quit in 9th grade to focus on basketball. Although his dad was sad, he always supported him.
- Kawhi Leonard is the 3rd youngest Finals MVP and just the 6th player to win Finals MVP without being an NBA All-Star.
- Actually, Kawhi Leonard is not a social person and likes to live a private life. Like other NBA players, he does not use social media much. On May 3, 2021, Kawhi took to Instagram Live first time ever, chatting with high school basketball player Mikey Williams and announcing that he will release a hip-hop album titled Culture Jam sometime in 2021.
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