An outlet named Kawhi Leonard the next Spurs player in line for a jersey retirement despite his controversial exit and Dylan Harper now wearing No. 2.
A national writer placed Kawhi Leonard next in line for a jersey retirement from the San Antonio Spurs in a team-by-team list ...
With the centerpiece of today's powerhouse Spurs, Victor Wembanyama, following up Leonard in the ranks.
Leonard's résumé includes two Defensive Player of the Year awards and the 2014 championship. The author wrote that the way his tenure ended is a drawback, and it isn't the only issue. Dylan Harper wears No. 2 right now.
There is another issue, of course.
An investigation into Leonard's deal with the Clippers - in which the cap was allegedly illegally circumvented - now means team owner Steve Ballmer has been fined $30 million, Kawhi will have to pay back $700,000, and the Clippers have been stripped of five future first-round picks, effectively sending them to NBA purgatory for the foreseeable future.
But aside of that ...
The Spurs have retired jersey numbers for 11 players, including Johnny Moore's 00, Avery Johnson's 6, Tony Parker's 9, Bruce Bowen's 12, James Silas' 13, Manu Ginobili's 20, Tim Duncan's 21, Sean Elliott's 32, George Gervin's 44, and David Robinson's 50. The NBA retired Bill Russell's No. 6 league-wide in 2022.
San Antonio most recently retired jerseys for the star trio of Duncan, Parker, and Ginobili. Parker's No. 9 was retired on Nov. 11, 2019, following a 113-109 loss to the Memphis Grizzlies. He became the 10th player in franchise history to receive the honor. Duncan's No. 21 was raised on Dec. 18, 2016. Ginobili's No. 20 followed on March 28, 2019.
Leonard's Seven Seasons and How They Ended
Leonard was drafted 15th overall by the Indiana Pacers in June 2011 and immediately traded to San Antonio that same night, along with the No. 42 pick and rights to Erazem Lorbek, for George Hill. Leonard played seven seasons with the Spurs, averaging 16.3 points, 6.2 rebounds, and 2.3 assists per game. He was Finals MVP in 2014 and received Defensive Player of the Year honors in 2015 and 2016. His top scoring season was 2016-17, with an average of 25.5 points per game.
Leonard missed the first 27 games of 2017-18 due to a right quadriceps injury, then suffered a left shoulder injury. San Antonio's medical team cleared him to return, but his personal doctors did not. He only played 9 games.
On July 18, 2018, the Spurs traded Leonard and Danny Green to Toronto for DeMar DeRozan, Jakob Poeltl, and a 2019 first-round pick protected 1-12. At the time, Spurs coach Gregg Popovich said the trade would benefit both teams and that the Spurs wished Leonard well. "At this point it's time to move on," Popovich said.
Harper has worn No. 2 since being picked second overall by San Antonio in the 2025 draft. His four-year, $56 million rookie contract was signed on July 3, 2025. Across 69 games last season he averaged 11.8 points, 3.4 rebounds, and 3.9 assists. He shot 50.5% from the field and 34.3% from 3-point range. Voters put him on the All-Rookie First Team. Harper recorded 7 steals in Game 1 of the Western Conference finals against Oklahoma City. That is a Spurs playoff record.
The Other Name on the List
The outlet's second name was Victor Wembanyama, who wears No. 1 and is three seasons into his career. In 64 regular-season games in 2025-26, he averaged 25.0 points, 11.5 rebounds, and 3.1 assists. He added 3.1 blocks and 1.0 steals. Defensive Player of the Year voting came back unanimous for the first time in the award's history. Wembanyama is also the youngest winner at 22. San Antonio finished 62-20 and took the No. 2 seed in the Western Conference. The Spurs reached the NBA Finals for the first time since 2014. The New York Knicks won the series in five games.
Wembanyama's five-year, $252 million extension was signed in July. He took the 25% rookie-scale maximum, which pays $43.5 million in the first year. The supermax escalators would have started him at $52.2 million and carried the deal to $303 million. A player option covers the fifth year.
Leonard is still under contract with the LA Clippers. On June 30, Los Angeles and Toronto reached an agreement to trade him back to the Raptors in exchange for Brandon Ingram, Gradey Dick, and draft picks. Toronto announced that the trade is paused until the NBA finishes its investigation into claims that the Clippers circumvented the salary cap.
That ruling has now been made ... making Leonard a controversial figure across the NBA landscape - including in San Antonio.
