San Antonio Spurs Forward Kawhi Leonard Hosts Free Clinic for Kids

San Antonio Spurs small forward Kawhi Leonard paid a special visit to his hometown of Moreno Valley on Saturday, Aug. 10, where he hosted a free basketball-training clinic for kids. The Spurs, who made it to the final round of this year’s NBA Finals, signed Leonard back in 2011. Leonard, who attended Martin Luther King High School and graduated in 2009, has since proven himself to be a dynamic and consistent player, making the adjustment from collegiate to professional ball. With two seasons under his belt, Leonard made the decision to give back to the community he grew up in, affording a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity that he never had growing up. The one-day clinic for kids, ages 8 to 17, gave them a chance to interact with Leonard and get helpful basketball pointers and insight from a professional player and coaching staff such as Spurs assistant general manager Scott Layden and Orlando Magic assistant development coach Luke Stuckey. At camps and clinics such as these, Leonard says that depending on the age, he looks at what type of potential the kid may have, or if they’re playing just to have fun. “Helping them on their fundamentals of the game and just allowing them to be a better player—that’s what I enjoy about camps and just seeing that smile on the kid’s faces,” said Leonard. Event Director Mandy Snyder says the clinic filled 75 openings in less than 24 hours, a quarter of whom were girls. In addition to professional tips from the NBA player, kids also received jerseys, T-shirts, autographed pictures, bumper stickers and a picture with the 6-foot-7-inch forward. Stuckey explains that while he has been involved with many camps over the years, this one in particular has had the most attendance. “Having Kawhi so active in the camp makes it different. A lot of guys just show up, say “Hi!” and then leave so that makes it cool for the kids,” says Stuckey. While the chances of making basketball a career are slim, it is possible. “Work hard every day,” says Leonard. “If you really want it, work hard every day. Surround yourself with good people and just stay focused.” “The most important thing is to really learn what is being taught and take that home and practice a lot of hours on your own,” notes Stuckey. “You have to think how many gyms in the world, in America, have 30, 40, 50 kids practicing and playing. And if you look at the broad scope of that, you have to do more, you have to be better, you have to put in more work to be able to stand out.”