A number of players have made the no-look pass a staple of the game of basketball over the years, and it certainly pumps up the crowd. Some have even made circus shots without looking at the rim. However, Kawhi Leonard managed to pull off a no-look steal on Wednesday night and is definitely something to talk about.
Leonard has been one of the premier defenders in the NBA for some years now, but what he did against the Minnesota Timberwolves still boggles the mind. The play happened in the second quarter when Timberwolves forward Gorgui Dieng tried to pass the ball to a cutting Jimmy Butler. Leonard actually had his back turned when the pass was made, but the two-time Defensive Player of the Year read the play perfectly and he managed to steal the ball.
It was a perfectly timed dive. After the game, Kawhi Leonard confirmed that he couldn’t see the ball since he had his back turned, but he knew it was heading towards Butler.
"I just dove for the ball, had the awareness that he was going to bounce pass it to him, and I was able to get the steal," Leonard said, according to TSN. "No. I couldn't see it all."
Leonard hasn’t played much last season as he continued to deal with an injury to his right quadriceps, but his performance so far this year has proven that he was worth the gamble for the Toronto Raptors.
“Leonard can completely change the complexion of a game on both ends of the floor. In a battle with Butler, a terrific all-around player, Leonard proved there is a difference between an A and A-minus star in this league. That's not an insult to Butler. Leonard is just capable of reaching another level,” Jordan Greer said in his report for Sporting News.
Of course, it’s possible that Kawhi Leonard may leave after the season. But right now, the Raptors have the best record in the NBA because they have him on their roster.
