Kawhi Leonard faced boos from Spurs fans as he scored 26 points in the Los Angeles Clippers’ 109-102 victory, prompting coach Gregg Popovich to intervene and call for respect.
During a free throw following a foul, fans jeered Leonard, who played for San Antonio from 2011-18 before being traded to Toronto.
Popovich silenced the crowd, urging, “Can we stop all the booing and let these guys play? Have a little class. It’s not who we are. Knock off the booing.”
Despite the louder boos that followed, Leonard made both free throws, showing composure.
Post-game, Leonard acknowledged the competitive nature of Spurs fans. “They’re probably going to boo me the rest of my career…They’re one of the best fans in the league and very competitive,” he said, per Tom Orsborn.
“Once I step on this court, they show that they’re going for the other side. When I’m on the streets or going into restaurants, they show love.”
