Kawhi Leonard is one of those rare players in the NBA that keeps to himself and doesn't like to reveal too much to the media. You won't see Leonard trash talking other players publically or doing any self-promotion on the side. Instead, Kawhi just goes out onto the court and handles his business whether you like him or not. It's this no-nonsense attitude that has helped him lead the Raptors all the way to the NBA Finals which kick off on Thursday against the Golden State Warriors.
Today was media day in Toronto and various players on the Raptors were interviewed ahead of the finals. Two of the most important players in Leonard's supporting cast, Pascal Siakim, and Kyle Lowry, were asked about Kawhi's personality and what he's like off the court. There is a narrative out there that Kawhi doesn't like to laugh and that he's some type of weirdo. As Siakim and Lowry explained, that's definitely not the case.
Overall, Kawhi is described as a normal guy who likes to laugh and joke around. This shouldn't come as a surprise to anyone but sometimes the media is so consumed with large personalities, that they think anyone who is more reserved is out of the ordinary.
At the end of the day, Leonard is a private guy and we should respect that. We all have that one friend who is shy in public but normal around their friends and that's exactly why Leonard's demeanor shouldn't be such an issue.
Admittedly, it is funnier to make jokes and memes about it so that's probably why it's still such a prevalent narrative.
