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Toronto Raptors forward Kawhi Leonard was named the NBA Finals Most Valuable Player for the second time after his team's championship win over the Golden State Warriors on Thursday.
Leonard, who also won the award in 2014 while playing for the San Antonio Spurs, joins basketball greats Kareem Abdul-Jabbar and LeBron James as the only players in NBA history to win Finals MVP with two different franchises.
Playing in his first season with Toronto, Leonard averaged 28.5 points during the best-of-seven Finals, leading the Raptors to a 4-2 series upset of two-time defending champions GoldenState.
Playing against a Warriors team with Stephen Curry and Klay Thompson, two of the NBA's most feared shooters, Leonard dazzled in the spotlight and left his rivals in the shade.
The focal point of the Raptors offense throughout the Finals, he took the playmaking responsibilities on his shoulders and shrugged off GoldenState's efforts to slow him down.
The Raptors became a legitimate contender when they acquired Leonard from San Antonio last July, though when he arrived he was coming off a season in which he missed all but nine games with a quadriceps issue.
With no assurances that he would re-sign with the team beyond 2019, it was a high-risk trade for Toronto.
The rewards, however, have been huge.
Leonard led the team in scoring all season and carried them to their first final in the franchise's 24-year history.
List of NBA Finals Most Valuable Player winners:
2019 - Kawhi Leonard, Toronto Raptors
2018 - Kevin Durant, GoldenState Warriors
2017 - Kevin Durant, GoldenState Warriors
2016 - LeBron James, Cleveland Cavaliers
2015 - Andre Iguodala, GoldenState Warriors
2014 - Kawhi Leonard, San Antonio Spurs
2013 - LeBron James, Miami Heat
2012 - LeBron James, Miami Heat
2011 - Dirk Nowitzki, Dallas Mavericks
2010 - Kobe Bryant, Los Angeles Lakers
2009 - Kobe Bryant, Los Angeles Lakers
2008 - Paul Pierce, Boston Celtics
2007 - Tony Parker, San Antonio Spurs
2006 - Dwyane Wade, Miami Heat
2005 - Tim Duncan, San Antonio Spurs
2004 - Chauncey Billups, Detroit Pistons
2003 - Tim Duncan, San Antonio Spurs
2002 - Shaquille O'Neal, Los Angeles Lakers
2001 - Shaquille O'Neal, Los Angeles Lakers
2000 - Shaquille O'Neal, Los Angeles Lakers
1999 - Tim Duncan, San Antonio Spurs
1998 - Michael Jordan, Chicago
1997 - Michael Jordan, Chicago
1996 - Michael Jordan, Chicago
1995 - Hakeem Olajuwon, Houston
1994 - Hakeem Olajuwon, Houston
1993 - Michael Jordan, Chicago
1992 - Michael Jordan, Chicago
1991 - Michael Jordan, Chicago
1990 - Isiah Thomas, Detroit Pistons
1989 - Joe Dumars, Detroit Pistons
1988 - James Worthy, Los Angeles Lakers
1987 - Magic Johnson, Los Angeles Lakers
1986 - Larry Bird, Boston Celtics
1985 - Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Los Angeles Lakers
1984 - Larry Bird, Boston Celtics
1983 - Moses Malone, Philadelphia 76ers
1982 - Magic Johnson, Los Angeles Lakers
1981 - Cedric Maxwell, Boston Celtics
1980 - Magic Johnson, Los Angeles Lakers
1979 - Dennis Johnson, Seattle SuperSonics
1978 - Wes Unseld, Washington Bullets
1977 - Bill Walton, Portland Trail Blazers
1976 - Jo Jo White, Boston Celtics
1975 - Rick Barry, GoldenState Warriors
1974 - John Havlicek, Boston Celtics
1973 - Willis Reed, New York Knicks
1972 - Wilt Chamberlain, Los Angeles Lakers
1971 - Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Milwaukee Bucks
1970 - Willis Reed, New York Knicks
1969 - Jerry West, Los Angeles Lakers
