By now the Toronto Raptors have put their best pitch forward to keeping Kawhi Leonard. That hasn’t stopped fans from losing their sense of boundaries.
The Toronto Raptors slew the giants of the NBA, the Golden State Warriors, in order to capture their first ever title. The man who did most of the heavy lifting was the Finals MVP, Kawhi Leonard.
The city fell in love with the Klaw and has shown him love in many unique ways. They have been so passionate that it has manifested into a problem. Being overbearing fans may act to dissuade the superstar from wanting to remain in Toronto.
The big smoke is one of the finest cities in the world. Athletes who have visited have loved their time in Toronto and some, like Charles Barkley, have professed their love for it. The nearly six million residents of the Greater Toronto Area could tell you just how incredible it is to live in such a premier location. They, along with Raptors fans across the planet, would adore seeing the city add one more specific resident.
The Raptors fanbase grew in the GTA throughout the 2019 playoffs. People who had never watched a basketball game before now had appointments with their television. By the NBA Finals, many new fans were educated observers, able to share nuances about the team.
Swept up in basketball fever, Leonard became exponentially more recognizable. This surely had a benefit to him as his jersey sales increased and he became more marketable. New Balance has undoubtedly seen profits rise due to having Leonard rep their brand.
With all the new eyeballs, came more unwanted interest. Recently, Leonard’s every move has been tracked and scrutinized.
When he was spotted at Home Depot buying boxes, a frenzy of speculation ensued. Was he moving into or out of the city? When he sat front row at the Toronto Blue Jays game, people wondered if he was there to support the Bluebirds or Mike Trout and the Los Angeles Angels. When he went to Niagara Falls, he was followed around by chanting fans, many of whom stuck their cell phones in his face in order to capture images or video of their new hero.
For a man a recluse as he is, this unwanted attention may sour the appeal of spending time in Toronto and the surrounding area. This idea became so prevalent that the hashtag #LeaveKawhiAlone was trending on Twitter and the mayor of the city, John Tory, had to ask Torontonians to tone it down.
Tory, along with Superfan Nav Bhatia, launched a virtual petition asking Leonard to stay. The purpose was to allow fans to share their messages with the superstar without harassing him and his family in public.
The extra attention is sure to be present if Leonard chooses to sign with the Los Angeles Clippers, a team that he has been linked to for over a year. Considering that the TMZ headquarters is located in L.A., Leonard would not get any reprieve there.
If Kawhi was hoping that Toronto would be a quieter place to lay down roots, he must be sorely disappointed. That is one benefit that is no longer a selling feature for the Raptors.
The Clippers remain a big player in the Klaw sweepstakes, which is why the Boston Celtics and Philadelphia 76ers were reportedly apprehensive in mortgaging their respective futures to acquire him. The Raptors hope that in his time with the team, his experience was positive enough to shut out all the noise and recognize that he belongs in the Six.
Time will tell what decision the King of the North makes. He will decline his player option and go into free agency ready to be wooed. Hopefully, he ultimately decides to re-up with the Dinos and the fans return to respecting Leonard’s privacy.