Kawhi Leonard Makes Statement with New Balance Shoes

Los Angeles Clippers forward Kawhi Leonard wore two pairs of rare New Balance shoes on Saturday.

Don't look now, but the Los Angeles Clippers are one of the hottest teams in the NBA. It is no coincidence that Los Angeles' winning streak coincides with the dominant play of small forward Kawhi Leonard.

On Saturday night, Leonard led his team to victory over the New York Knicks with an efficient 38 points. The 2x NBA Finals MVP also used the opportunity to rock two rare pairs of New Balance shoes.

Since signing with the Boston-based brand in 2018, Leonard has played a huge role in the revitalization of New Balance Basketball. Some short-sighted skeptics scoffed at the move, but Leonard and New Balance are getting the last laugh.

New Balance 2002R

Kawhi Leonard in the Bape x New Balance 2002R today. pic.twitter.com/bCMfi1E4AG

— Complex Sneakers (@ComplexSneakers) March 11, 2023

Before Saturday night's game in Los Angeles, Leonard wore the Bape x New Balance 2002R shoes. The lifestyle shoes were released in May 2021 for $222. Fans can now purchase the shoes at a higher resale price on the StockX website.

The aggressive colorway was designed as part of a collaboration between New Balance and streetwear company Bape. The classic silhouette features unmistakable nods to Bape's branding.

Luckily, there are plenty of other options for fans who do not want to pay the resale price. There are multiple colorways of the shoes available at retail prices on the New Balance website.

New Balance KAWHI III

Kawhi Leonard dribbles into Josh Hart / Kiyoshi Mio-USA TODAY Sports

Leonard was not done making a sneaker statement after walking through the tunnels before the game. While on the court, Leonard debuted a new colorway of his third signature shoe - the New Balance KAWHI III.

The white and black shoes are a player-exclusive colorway (notice Leonard's personal logo on the tongues). However, it is very possible fans will get a similar version of the shoe in the future.

Currently, only one colorway of Leonard's signature shoe is available online. Fans can purchase the red and black 'Alpha Predator' colorway for $160 on the New Balance website.

New Balance has confirmed that additional colorways will launch throughout the season, which taps into Leonard's mindset. Fans can expect the Recharged Chakra, Multi-Dimensional, Sacred Geometry, and one featuring the brand's iconic grey color. 

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