Vince Carter Says Kawhi Leonard Will Be on Same Level as LeBron James With Another Title

Peter Dewey
3 Min Read

NBA legend Vince Carter thinks that Los Angeles Clippers star Kawhi Leonard would join the next level of NBA greats if he wins yet another NBA title.

Carter specifically said that Leonard would be in the same category as Los Angeles Lakers forward LeBron James and legend Kobe Bryant.

“A third championship for Kawhi will just bump him up to that next level of the upper echelon of basketball players in the history of the game,” Carter said. “I’m not going to say the greatest. We know there’s a lot of guys. There’s three guys right now in that conversation and I think if LeBron wins he bumps himself up to that next level.

“But Kawhi now puts himself in the conversation of one of the greatest players in our league’s history because of what he can accomplish, particularly if he wins the [NBA Finals] MVP as well.”

If Leonard were to win NBA Finals MVP, he would be the first player ever to win Finals MVP for three different teams.

Carter went on to detail his three players that he believes are in the greatest-of-all-time conversation, something he thinks Leonard can join.

“M.J. (Michael Jordan), Kobe and I think LeBron are right there,” Carter said. “I still think M.J. is the greatest — and Kobe — there’s the debate that could toss with — it depends on what week you’re talking about this. And LeBron wins another one, you put him right there in that conversation, one step closer let me say.

“And now Kawhi, you win three championships, three MVPs, he’s now a conversation piece as well.”

While Carter isn’t saying that Leonard would become the greatest of all time by winning the title this year, he would be opening the door to be in the conversation.

Leonard and the Clippers will likely have to go through the Lakers in the Western Conference Finals if they want to make their dreams of winning a championship a reality.

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Peter is a graduate of Quinnipiac University where he covered the MAAC and college basketball for three years. He has worked for NBC Sports, the Connecticut Sun and the Meriden Record-Journal covering basketball and other major sports. Follow him on Twitter @peterdewey2.