Kawhi files lawsuit against Nike over 'Klaw' logo
An NBA Finals matchup against the Golden State Warriors apparently isn't the only battle Kawhi Leonard has on his hands.
The Toronto Raptors superstar has filed a federal lawsuit against Nike, according to Matthew Kish of the Portland Business Journal.
Leonard claims he designed the "Klaw" logo before signing an endorsement deal with Nike, and that the company copyrighted it without his consent, according to court documents.
Here's the full complaint: Kawhi Leonard v. Nike, Inc. https://t.co/uyoWfWEg2l
— Sam Levine (@srl) June 3, 2019
Leonard's lawsuit says Nike falsely represented in the copyright application that the apparel giant created the logo, and in doing so committed fraud.
The 2014 Finals MVP initially drew the logo during his college days at San Diego State, and he says the "Klaw" that appeared on Nike apparel was an extension and continuation of the original version.
"I came up with the idea of incorporating my initials in this logo," Leonard said in 2014, according to George Kiel III of NiceKicks.com. "I drew up the rough draft, sent it over and they (Jordan Brand) made it perfect."
Leonard added, "I give the Jordan Brand team all the credit because I’m no artist at all. They refined it and made it look better than I thought it would ever be, and I’m extremely happy with the final version."
While Leonard's deal with Nike allowed the company to use the "Klaw" on certain merchandise, the three-time All-Star continued to use his logo on non-Nike products.
The 27-year-old intends to use the "Klaw" on clothing lines, footwear, other products, and in connection with sports camps and charity functions. However, Nike has explicitly objected to such uses.
Leonard reportedly turned down a four-year, $22-million extension with Jordan Brand in March 2018 and signed a multi-year deal with New Balance months later.
The Los Angeles Clippers - who are rumored to be among Leonard's biggest free-agent suitors - reportedly looked into purchasing the portion of the rights to his logo, according to Marc Stein of The New York Times.
Leonard averaged a career-high 26.6 points, 7.3 rebounds, and 1.8 steals across 60 regular-season appearances. His elevated play during the postseason has helped Toronto reach its first-ever NBA Finals. The two-time Defensive Player of the Year is averaging 30.9 points on 49.6 percent shooting while adding 9.1 boards and 1.5 steals per game during the playoffs.