Kawhi Leonard has spent years avoiding the spotlight. Now, he's stepping behind the camera.
In a new Haute Living profile, the two-time NBA Finals MVP revealed he's expanding beyond basketball by launching original creative projects through his production company, including an animated series and a New Balance campaign that he’ll executive-produce and direct himself. "The time is now," Leonard said, quickly clarifying that he's focused on telling stories on his own terms.
"They gave me the green light to do my campaign," Leonard said. "So I'll be shooting the commercial, being executive producer and director, and making sure I tell my story right."
That's a notable shift for a player whose public image has largely been built on silence. Leonard acknowledged that people often mistake his reserved personality for disinterest, but said his approach has always been simple: "I just usually put my head down and work."
His production slate follows that same blueprint. Rather than centering himself, Leonard said he's creating animated shorts that spotlight "craftsmanship" through the eyes of athletes, entrepreneurs, painters, fashion designers, and musicians. "Just showing different avenues," he explained. "How we see the day different, really."
Last year, Kawhi Leonard wrapped up his first trip to Rwanda, where he unveiled a basketball court at St. Ignatius School in Kigali, hosted a youth clinic, and met privately with President Paul Kagame to discuss expanding opportunities for young people through sports and education. While many expected Leonard to reflect on the celebrity aspects of the trip, his takeaway was much simpler.
"I'm grateful I went," he said. Then came the bigger reveal: "We're going to keep doing it. Throughout the world, really."
That promise mirrors the work he's already doing back home in Moreno Valley, California, where he's building free basketball leagues and courts inspired by the support he wished he'd had growing up.
"I wish I just had a foundation or somebody that was close to some type of college or NBA team," Leonard said. "It was kind of like, learn as I go."
That experience also explains why every court he designs carries messages like "You Are Stronger Than You Think." Leonard said those marketing slogans are more like personal reminders. "They all motivate me," he said. "Those are quotes I live by."
