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Popovich says Leonard was a big man in college; Leonard disagrees

Steve Dykes / USA TODAY Sports

Four games into the new NBA season, Kawhi Leonard is already making a strong case to repeat as Defensive Player of the Year.

The fifth-year San Antonio Spurs swingman has done a number on some of the league's most accomplished small forwards in this young campaign, forcing Kevin Durant into a 6-for-19 shooting night, Joe Johnson into 1-for-7, and most recently, Carmelo Anthony into 4-for-17. Anthony, in particular, seemed to be completely out of answers by game's end Monday.

It isn't just the defense, though; Leonard has emerged as a terrifying two-way threat. He posted a career-high 32 points against Durant's Thunder on opening night, and currently leads the Spurs in both scoring (21.3) and rebounding (9.3). On a team with perhaps the greatest power forward of all time in Tim Duncan, two other probable Hall of Famers in Tony Parker and Manu Ginobili, and a three-time All-NBAer in LaMarcus Aldridge, it's Leonard who's taken center stage.

Spurs coach Gregg Popovich would have you believe that's even more impressive than it sounds, because the 6-foot-7, 24-year-old wing has had to adapt to a new position.

"He was basically a big man in college," Popovich said Monday before matching up against Anthony and the Knicks, according to NBA.com's John Schuhmann. "He didn't play on the perimeter. When he came, he couldn't shoot a three until Chip Engelland got a hold of him. So all of this is new to him as a perimeter player, defensively, offensively, his development with some of the moves he has that Chad Forcier works with him on. All of that has been an education for him. So he just keeps progressing."

While Leonard's shooting has indeed come a long way since he was drafted in 2011, and Engelland - the team's longtime shot doctor - has a reputation and track record of remarkable success, Leonard chuckled at the notion the perimeter was unfamiliar territory for him.

"I don't think he's seen me play a lot," Leonard said of Popovich after the game. "I've always played on the wing. I don't think a lot of people watched me play at San Diego State. Just because I averaged 10 rebounds, they thought I was a power forward. I always played on the wing and this is nothing new to me."

So, agree to disagree?

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