NBA Rumors: Kawhi Leonard Dubbed As Most Defensive Player of the Year

By Jenn Loro - 19 Apr '16 13:46PM

The San Antonio Spurs with its valued player, Kawhi Leonard, is in serious business when it comes to defensive gameplay.

Leonard was a major force in spurring San Antonio into being the league's premier defense with 96.6 points per 100 possessions and 94.7 points per 100 possessions. So it's hardly a surprise when someone from Spurs won he bagged the 2015-16 Kia Defensive Player of the Year Award.

The 6-7 forward is now the first non-center to receive the award in back-to-back seasons since Hall of Famer Dennis Rodman earned the honor in 1989-90 and 1990-91.

According to NBA's official website, Leonard received the highest votes and total points from 130-member panel made up largely of sportswriters and broadcasters throughout the United States and Canada. He finished with 547 points and 84 first-place votes edging out Warriors forward Draymond Green, Miami Heat center Hassan Whiteside, and LA Clippers center DeAndre Jordan.

As reported by ESPN, Leonard posted 1.8 steals and 1.0 blocks per game. Currently, he's top 5 in NBA's Defensive Real Plus-Minus and so far the only non- center in the roster's top 25.

When he was asked about his recent achievement, he usually shrugs off all praises and credits his teammates for his noteworthy accomplishments.

''I just hide behind (his teammates) in the game, really,'' Leonard said, Yahoo Sports reported. ''They give me the confidence to pressure my man and get into the ball handler. The bigs are there on the help side if the guy goes by me and I'm able to switch to other offensive players and all the other guards on my team to guard the best offensive player.''

Spurs head coach Gregg Popovich also seems to think that while Leonard is undoubtedly a prized asset in the team's defense, he nevertheless describes him as an excellent team player.

"He's a team-oriented individual for sure," Popovich said as quoted by SF Gate. "But I've got to tell you, I don't think he knows when those guys are back there or not, he just goes and does what he does. He just plays. He's giving credit to everyone as he should, he's a wonderful young man, but the things he does amaze me night after night, and the fact he does it at both ends really is something, and then he rebounds on top of it. So, he's a pretty special guy."