During his playing days that are still considered the greatest we’ve ever seen, Michael Jordan did more than just score points or play lockdown defense. He did nearly everything on both ends of the floor from his wing spot, making him one of the more complete players in the history of the game.
When thinking about these elite two-way players today, some of the first names that come to mind are obviously LeBron James and some others but the one that is brought up most is Kawhi Leonard of the San Antonio Spurs. Leonard has always been a lockdown defender of the highest order but in recent years, we’ve seen his offensive game come together right before our very eyes, cementing his status as a top 5 player and a bonafide MVP candidate.
When he was asked the popular question of whether Kawhi can score on Kawhi, Jordan called the Spurs star the best two-way player in the NBA, high-praise from someone who knows a thing or two about both sides of the ball. Video courtesy of a Facebook post from Spurs Uncensored:
At 6’7″, Kawhi Leonard has a knack for shutting down the opposing team’s best wing player and scoring nearly 30 a night of his own on the other end. His two-way play was on display all during their playoff series against the Houston Rockets last year and it was looking like his Spurs would give Golden State all they could handle in the Conference Finals before he went down with an ankle injury in Game 1.
The praise from Jordan will probably only motivate Kawhi to take his game to the next level, and we should expect him to be in the thick of the MVP conversation again this year, especially if the Spurs are able to hold on to a top seed in a much improved Western Conference.
