Meyers Leonard

Leonard playing for Illinois

As a freshman at the University of Illinois at Urbana–Champaign in 2010–11, Leonard averaged 2.1 points and 1.2 rebounds per game in 8.2 minutes per game for the Fighting Illini.[5] Following the season he was invited to the June 17 – 24, 2011, 17-man tryouts for the 12-man FIBA Under-19 World Championship team by USA Basketball.[6] Leonard was one of 12 selected players that competed as Team USA in the 2011 FIBA U19 World Championships in Latvia from June 30 – July 10, 2011, and placed fifth in the competition.[7]

As a sophomore in 2011–12, Leonard averaged 13.6 points and 8.2 rebounds per game.[5] Leonard was named Big 10 Co-Player of the Week on December 5, 2011 after averaging 16.5 points and 6.0 rebounds per game in two Illinois victories.[8] Leonard was also named Big 10 Player of the Week on December 26, 2011 after averaging 16.5 points and 14.5 rebounds per game in two games.[9] Following the season, Leonard was named Honorable Mention All Big-10.[10] He then entered the NBA draft.[11]

Leonard was drafted with the 11th overall pick by the Portland Trail Blazers in the 2012 NBA draft.[12] On July 13 he signed his rookie scale contract with the Trail Blazers.[13][14] On October 31, 2012, Leonard made his NBA debut, logging 23 minutes and scoring four points against the Los Angeles Lakers.[15] He made his first career start on November 21, 2012, against the Phoenix Suns, finishing with 12 points and 5 rebounds.[16] On March 30, 2013, he had a season-best game with 22 points and 10 rebounds in a loss to the Golden State Warriors.[17]

Leonard's numbers dipped from his rookie to sophomore season, falling behind fellow second-year big man Joel Freeland as the primary backup to starter Robin Lopez. He saw action in 29 fewer games in 2013–14, with his minutes and points per game cut in half, as the Blazers transformed from a lottery team to a playoff contender.[18] On January 2, 2014, he had a season-best game with 8 points and 10 rebounds in a 134–104 win over the Charlotte Bobcats.[19]

In 2014–15, Leonard played only 13 total minutes in Portland's first 9 games as he was stuck in the big man rotation behind Lopez, Freeland and Chris Kaman. On November 15, 2014, with LaMarcus Aldridge scratched with an upper respiratory illness against the Brooklyn Nets, Leonard picked up the start at power forward, playing 29 minutes. With his first major minutes at the power forward spot, he performed admirably, tallying 12 rebounds and hitting a three-pointer. He went on to pick up DNPs in 11 of the next 12 games. But when Lopez broke his hand going up for a rebound against the San Antonio Spurs on December 15, Leonard got another chance to show that he deserved time on the court. His improvement was incremental, but noticeable, over the following seven weeks. His play while Lopez was out earned him time to prove himself. He only saw six DNPs after the turn of the year, and grew in confidence despite limited minutes. At the season's end, Leonard had produced a remarkable Steve Nash-like 50/40/90 season, shooting 51% from the field, 42% from three-point range, and 93% from the free throw line.[20] In the penultimate game of the regular season on April 13, he scored a career-high 24 points in a loss to the Oklahoma City Thunder.[21] He went on to record a playoff-best game with 13 points and 13 rebounds in a win over the Memphis Grizzlies in Game 4 of Portland's first-round series. The Blazers lost the series 4–1.[22]

On December 1, 2015, Leonard scored a season-high 23 points in a loss to the Dallas Mavericks.[23] On March 24, 2016, he was ruled out for the rest of the season after injuring his left shoulder, requiring surgery.[24]

On July 10, 2016, Leonard re-signed with the Trail Blazers on a four-year, $41 million contract.[25][26] On October 8, 2016, he was cleared for all practice activities, six months after undergoing surgery on his left shoulder.[27] On December 23, 2016, he scored a season-high 16 points off the bench in a 110–90 loss to the Spurs.[28]

On May 20, 2019, in Game 4 of the Western Conference Finals, Leonard recorded a career-high 30 points and 12 rebounds in a 119–117 overtime loss to the Golden State Warriors.[29]

On July 6, 2019, Leonard was traded to the Miami Heat in a four-team trade.[30]