Kawhi Leonard’s Rare Public Appearance in China Sparks Interest

Originally posted on Athlon Sports | By Paul White | Last updated Aug 27, 2025 12:21 PM ET

Kawhi Leonard has one of the most unique paths to superstardom that the NBA has ever seen, but we know he prefers it that way.

One of the quietest, most reserved stars the league has ever seen, Leonard blossomed with the San Antonio Spurs, able to fall back to the shadows and develop uninterrupted with the shielding of Tim Duncan, Tony Parker, and his legendary coach Gregg Popovich.

The man nicknamed ‘The Klaw’ went viral back in 2019 when he was traded to the Toronto Raptors and claimed to be a “fun guy,” even though the world has rarely heard him speak. Leonard, who now plays for the Los Angeles Clippers, has been shedding the antisocial narrative as of late.

Most recently, he’s made headlines for his trip to China as part of his Asian tour, taking part in a league-wide effort to globalize basketball even further.

“When I shoot the ball and I know it's going in, I say, ‘WET BALL’”

- Kawhi

(via @836758160Joy / h/t @TomerAzarly )

pic.twitter.com/tBRqSMNeeK
— NBACentral (@TheDunkCentral) August 26, 2025

Leonard has a propensity for joke telling, even if he isn’t trying to be funny, and fans got a kick out of the Clippers star telling Chinese fans that he says “wet ball” when he knows he’s going to make a shot.

It’s hard to imagine such a laid back guy like Leonard talking trash on the court in such a different way than we’re used to.

He gives fans no insight into his personal life and hardly utters more than a few words during his basketball press conferences, so it’s hard to see him in any other light than professional and guarded.

Leonard has grown into somewhat of an urban legend for his convoluted legacy. He has two championships, including one as the only star on his team, multiple All-NBA and All-Star selections, but no league MVPs to show for it.

In a league where players’ greatness is directly tied to their accolades, it becomes difficult to calculate his worth compared to other basketball icons when he offers such a mixed bag.

Leonard’s Asian tour will be wrapping up soon as training camp is set to begin in a few weeks. He, along with teammate James Harden, will lead the Clippers into battle this season as the team tries to build on an encouraging regular season, but disappointing playoff run.

Last season was injury-riddled for Leonard, so he and the team hope he can remain healthy this year and give the team a better chance of gelling together.

This article first appeared on Athlon Sports and was syndicated with permission.

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