Kawhi Leonard: longer wingspan than Andrew Bynum and hands of Shaq?

[1987_Lakers]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K8FKTYuKUuI

:eek:

[blacknapalm]

i remember reading about his hands last year...he had the biggest hands of the 2011 draft class. that probably explains why he's such a good rebounder for his position

http://cdn3.sbnation.com/fan_shot_images/200374/holly-kawhi-leonard.png

he's impressed me with his outside shooting this season. i watched a few aztec games last year and i don't remember his shot being that clean. he's worked on his shooting mechanics. pop probably told him his role since day 1 and what to work on and it's paid off

[RoseCity07]

Just another great draft pick by the Spurs. Basically any time you can grab a guy the Spurs were targeting you got a good player. We got Batum right before San Antonio could get him. I'd love to see how that team would utilize Batum. Leonard will be a fun player to watch grow.

[Big#50]

Trade worked out awesome for both teams. I'm glad Hill is doing great. I always figured he'd be a Spur for life.
Leonard is so confident In what he can do. Playoffs performer already. LOL
He will be all nba D first team soon. His shot sucked early in the year. Props to hike and the shooting coach. That guy works wonders.

[chips93]

he's impressed me with his outside shooting this season. i watched a few aztec games last year and i don't remember his shot being that clean. he's worked on his shooting mechanics. pop probably told him his role since day 1 and what to work on and it's paid off

he worked with chauncey billups for a lot of the summer, he actually planned on becoming a shooting guard

[SavageMode]

Kawhi Leonard is like another version of Lebron. Spurs hit bank when they got him.

[Quotable]

Wasn't Shaq's excuse for years for not being a good shooter that his hands were too big? What's his excuse now?

[ILLsmak]

Wasn't Shaq's excuse for years for not being a good shooter that his hands were too big? What's his excuse now?

Is Shaq a good shooter now? lol.

Remember, supposedly, Shaq had a bum wrist, too.

-Smak

[kidachi]

I predicted him as the steal of the draft.. he's looking like he is..

anyway, with those hands, he'd definitely be great receiver..

[chips93]

Wasn't Shaq's excuse for years for not being a good shooter that his hands were too big? What's his excuse now?

beasley has humungous hands, john stokcton had big hands, jerry sloan too, all very good shooters

[Swaggin916]

I don't know where the hell they got that number for Andrew Bynum's wingspan... but I seriously doubt it's right unless he just has a ridiculous vertical reach cus that guy with his arms up has to have the longest arms in the NBA.

[1987_Lakers]

I don't know where the hell they got that number for Andrew Bynum's wingspan... but I seriously doubt it's right unless he just has a ridiculous vertical reach cus that guy with his arms up has to have the longest arms in the NBA.

You might be right, but idk. Look at the 13 sec mark in the video where Leonard is dribbling the ball. His fingers are basically at his knee.

[chips93]

I don't know where the hell they got that number for Andrew Bynum's wingspan... but I seriously doubt it's right unless he just has a ridiculous vertical reach cus that guy with his arms up has to have the longest arms in the NBA.

yeah, i was sceptical too, but on bynum's website, he says its 7-3, and leonard's was measured at the pre-draft camp as 7-3, so leaonard's number is definitely legit

however, somewhere else, has bynum's wingpsan at 7-6, which seemse more realistic

even for a seven footer, bynum appears to have very long arms

[vinsane01]

Wasn't Shaq's excuse for years for not being a good shooter that his hands were too big? What's his excuse now?

This. lol It's all about technique. It's not like shaq was shooting tennis balls out there. Maybe a volley size basketball would better describe how shaq or kawhi feels with a regular basketball. Anyone who tried shooting a volley ball through a hoop would know you can still shoot well with it. Yeah tennis balls are harder even though those are smaller, you cant perform a consistent follow through. Plus shooting a small ball using a shooting form that is usually used for bigger balls is just annoying and silly.

[Rake2204]

Many NBA players are insanely skilled, but also insanely fortunate. Kawhi Leonard hit the genetic lottery. Props to him for taking his natural blessings and utilizing them to maximize his ability.

[Alamo]

I'm so glad the Spurs got Kawhi Leonard, such an elite defender, huge upgrade from Richard Jeff

[JustinJDW]

Couldn't be happier with him. Exceeded all expectations we had this season. First rookie to come in and be a Playoff starter since Tony Parker.

[Clippersfan86]

People don't realize how big tools like this are. All of the elite players in NBA history for the most part have a physical tool above and beyond peers such as this. Wade and Jordan= huge hands for their size for example.

[Toizumi]

During the broadcast for game 3 they mentioned that Leonard needed custom sized boxing gloves.
man.. Leonard is awesome, both his game and work ethic. The Spurs are lucky to have him, but also he is lucky to have the Spurs. Great fit bothways.
Imagine a player like Nic Batum in Leonard's situation though, I think he would be a much better player than he is now in Portland. This are the types of players the spurs love, lengthy, strong, defensive wingplayers, who can knock down open shots every now and then.

In terms of defensive, Leonard fits the hole that's been there since Bowen retired. He's already better offensively though.

[Haymaker]

During the broadcast for game 3 they mentioned that Leonard needed custom sized boxing gloves.
man.. Leonard is awesome, both his game and work ethic. The Spurs are lucky to have him, but also he is lucky to have the Spurs. Great fit bothways.
Imagine a player like Nic Batum in Leonard's situation though, I think he would be a much better player than he is now in Portland. This are the types of players the spurs love, lengthy, strong, defensive wingplayers, who can knock down open shots every now and then.

In terms of defensive, Leonard fits the hole that's been there since Bowen retired. He's already better offensively though. Also Leonard can keep up with quick pg's. Batum is not that quick on his feet to do that.

[Toizumi]

Also Leonard can keep up with quick pg's. Batum is not that quick on his feet to do that.

True. I would definitely take Leonard over Batum when it comes to guarding PG's. Both are extremely versatile because of their quickness, instinct and long arms. I mentioned Batum because I know he was high on the Spurs wish list. With the acquisition of Jackson and Diaw, as well as drafting Kawhi, I think he's of that list now. He would've been a tremendous fit for them though.

[DuMa]

quite a steal for Spurs. im impressed with his hand size though.

[B.Rose]

Leonard has monstrous hands for sure. He also has very long arms. At the predraft measurements he had a 7'3" wingspan and sport science has it at 7'3.75".
I highly doubt Andrew Bynum has a wingspan less than 7'4". We don't have a recorded version of Bynum's wingspan, but very few NBA players 7 feet barefeet have arms that short.

This was very amateurish. Around the 15 second mark (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K8FKTYuKUuI#t=0m12s) it says he "But Leonard is 5" shorter than The Laker's centre". While listing their heights as 6'7" and 7"2" which is a 7" difference. http://s18.postimage.org/cehog3oe1/bynumleonard.jpg

[dunksby]

Just another great draft pick by the Spurs. Basically any time you can grab a guy the Spurs were targeting you got a good player. We got Batum right before San Antonio could get him. I'd love to see how that team would utilize Batum. Leonard will be a fun player to watch grow.
He was drafted by the Pacers.

[CavaliersFTW]

Sport Science is riddled with inaccurate data. Those numbers aren't even the same as what Kawhi measured in the official NBA draft, and the same is true when they did an short on Tristan Thompson and several others over the past year or two. Kwahi's draft data is posted here:

http://www.insidehoops.com/forum/showthread.php?t=261350