Second-greatest player in the history of each NBA franchise

Toronto Raptors: Kawhi Leonard

Greatest Player: Kyle Lowry

It would be pretty tough for just one season of work to vault any player this high on a franchise’s all-time list. Such speaks to the soaring heights Kawhi Leonard reached last year in his lone run with the Toronto Raptors.

Toronto might not have been his ideal landing spot after asking out of San Antonio, but Kawhi made sure to put his head down and make the best of the circumstance.

He returned from an injury-plagued previous season to reassert his place among the best in the game, an All-Star with career-highs in points and rebounds on a Raptors team that finished second in the east with 58 wins.

Leonard’s presence signaled the first legitimate shot a title Toronto ever had, and he proved why come playoff time by averaging 30.5 points with 9.1 rebounds and 3.9 assists a game.

With some clutch play and a little luck, everything came together for the Raptors to culminate in their first-ever NBA title, with Kawhi earning Finals MVP honors after a six-game defeat of Golden State.

He has six of the 13 highest scoring games in franchise playoff history and is already third in playoff points.

There’s a reason Toronto felt no bitterness towards Leonard when he opted for Los Angeles over the summer. Because even in such a short amount of time, he brought the city and organization more than they could’ve ever imagined.