NBA News: Kawhi Leonard Impresses Julius Erving With His Unique Trait

NBA Hall of Famer Julius Erving likes what he sees in Los Angeles Clippers superstar Kawhi Leonard.

Erving, best known for his moniker “Dr. J,” is considered one of the greatest basketball players of all time.

Unlike other NBA greats, Erving seldom shared his views on the modern-day stars in the league.

But in a recent talk with JJ Redick’s “The Old Man and the Three” podcast, the 11-time NBA All-Star spoke highly of Leonard and bared that “The Claw” is his favorite basketball player in today’s league.

“I love watching Kawhi [Leaonard] going back to his days in San Antonio,” Erving revealed. “You know, I was a big Tim Duncan fan and in San Antonio, having their roots in the ABA, you know was created as a bias for me. When Kawhi came on the scene and then he was MVP in the playoffs, I started watching him more closely and I like what he brings to the table.”

Throughout his stellar NBA career, Leonard has been known for his silent-type persona. For Erving, this adds flair to the two-time NBA Finals MVP’s charisma as a professional athlete and that is why he puts the Clippers forward on top of everybody else.

“You know a lot of people don’t like his demeanor, but I love his demeanor,” the Sixers legend admitted of Leonard. “He says something when he has something to say, if he’s got nothing to say go talk to somebody else. So he would be at the top of my list.”

Indeed, Leonard likes the idea of being a “man of few words.” In fact, he also uses the same philosophy in playing the role of a leader in the reinvented LA Clippers team.

“Like I said before, I’m not a rah-rah guy,” Leonard recently told the Athletic. “I come out, tell my teammates what we need to do to win, see what’s happening out there on the floor without going all over the place.”

According to some of Leonard’s current teammates, the man himself is somehow making progress as far as being a leader goes.

"He's been growing this year," Clippers guard Reggie Jackson said of Leonard’s leadership this season. "So, he talks more. But we've all come to learn Kawhi is [still] a man of few words."