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Steelers Lineman Gets Gift From NBA Star

Pittsburgh Steelers offensive lineman Spencer Anderson got a birthday gift from his favorite NBA player.

Stephen Thompson

Apr 23, 2024; Los Angeles, California, USA; Los Angeles Clippers forward Kawhi Leonard (2) warms up before the game against the Dallas Mavericks during game two of the first round for the 2024 NBA playoffs at Crypto.com Arena. Mandatory Credit: Kiyoshi Mio-USA TODAY Sports
Apr 23, 2024; Los Angeles, California, USA; Los Angeles Clippers forward Kawhi Leonard (2) warms up before the game against the Dallas Mavericks during game two of the first round for the 2024 NBA playoffs at Crypto.com Arena. Mandatory Credit: Kiyoshi Mio-USA TODAY Sports / Kiyoshi Mio-USA TODAY Sports
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PITTSBURGH -- Pittsburgh Steelers offensive lineman Spencer Anderson has a life beyond football and it would appear that much of that life is dominated by his love of Los Angeles Clippers star forward Kawhi Leonard.

Anderson said earlier this offseason in an interview with the Steelers social media team that he knows every detail of the former NBA Champion and Finals MVP's career. Little did he know who would pick up on his love for "The Claw."

"I would probably say Kawhi Leonard," Anderson said when asked what's a topic he knows way too much about besides football. "I know his birthday, he's from California, went to Martin Luther King High School, best basketball player ever to live."

Later, a few days after Anderson's love of Leonard went public and he reached the Clippers and they sent him over a small gift bag to celebrate his recent 24th birthday, which came less than a week ago while Anderson and the Steelers were going through workouts at mandatory minicamp before breaking for a month in anticipation of training camp.

It's easy to see why Anderson loves Leonard so much. He's a model of a two-way wing, possessing just about every skill necessary to help his team win basketball games. Health has held him back, but he's won multiple titles and Finals MVPs. His 2019 playoff run with the Toronto Raptors, which ended in the franchise's first championship, is widely considered one of the more impressive playoff runs in recent memory.

Basketball runs in Anderson's blood, too. His cousin Harry Giles III played at Duke and was a first-round pick of the Los Angeles Lakers in 2017. He's currently on a two-way contract with the Lakers and played most of this season in the G League.

When Anderson opened his gift from the Clippers, he got a bobblehead and signed Leonard jersey. Anderson was too stunned to offer many words so he settled on just one thing to say and it was easy to predict what he had to say.

"Kawhi's the best player to ever touch a basketball."

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Stephen Thompson
STEPHEN THOMPSON

Stephen Thompson graduated with a bachelor's degree in communications and political science from Pitt in April 2022 after spending four years as a sports writer and editor at The Pitt News, the University of Pittsburgh's independent, student-run newspaper. He primarily worked the Pitt men's basketball beat, and filled in on coverage of football, volleyball, softball, gymnastics and lacrosse, in addition to other sports as needed. His work at The Pitt News has won awards from the Pennsylvania News Media Association and Associated College Press. During the spring and summer of 2021, Stephen interned for Pittsburgh Sports Now, covering baseball in western Pennsylvania. Hailing from Washington D.C., family ties have cultivated a love of Boston's professional teams and Pitt athletics, and a fascination with sports in general. 

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