Serge Ibaka revealed he was caught off guard by Kawhi Leonard’s departure from the Toronto Raptors in the summer of 2019.
Speaking on Hello and Welcome, Ibaka admitted he did not even attempt to recruit Leonard to stay because he assumed the Finals MVP would return.
“I didn’t actually try to recruit him because I didn’t believe it,” Ibaka said, via HoopsHype. “I thought he was going to stay. Yeah, he won. I didn’t believe he was gonna leave, you know?”
Leonard led the Raptors to their first-ever NBA championship in 2019, defeating the Golden State Warriors in six games. He was named Finals MVP after averaging 28.5 points and 9.8 rebounds in the series.
Ibaka explained that the championship roster gave Leonard every reason to remain in Toronto. “We just won the championship. We had a great team,” Ibaka said. “He could take as many off-games as he wanted—the team was still going to win without him.”
Leonard ultimately chose to sign with the Los Angeles Clippers in free agency, a move that reshaped the NBA landscape. He joined forces with Paul George, ending Toronto’s hopes of running it back with the same core.
Ibaka said he was “calm” during that summer because he could not imagine a scenario where Leonard would walk away. “We just won. Who does that?” he recalled.
Toronto’s championship roster broke apart soon after. Danny Green also left in free agency, while Ibaka himself later signed with the Clippers in 2020 before stints with Milwaukee and Milwaukee.
Despite Leonard’s exit, the Raptors remained competitive the following season, finishing 53–19 and reaching the second round of the playoffs. However, the franchise has not returned to the NBA Finals since that historic 2019 run.
