Toronto Raptors forward Kawhi Leonard may have grown up in California, but he wasn't a fan of the Los Angeles Lakers - for good reason.
"I liked Allen Iverson. I was an A.I. fan. I didn't like the Lakers," Leonard said on Saturday in Los Angeles, according to Raptors broadcaster Eric Smith.
Iverson's Philadelphia 76ers went up against the juggernaut Lakers in the 2001 NBA Finals, losing the series 4-1 but finishing the playoffs as the only team to win a game against L.A.
The Raptors are now the ones trying to beat the Lakers, as they get ready to play in Los Angeles on Sunday night. It's not clear if Leonard, who's averaging a career-high 26.1 points per game, will play because of a foot injury.
In June, it was reported Leonard wanted to be traded from the San Antonio Spurs with his preferred destination being the Lakers. Instead, he was traded to the Raptors ahead of this season.
Heading into their matchup against the Lakers, the Raptors sit first in the Eastern Conference with an 8-1 record.
