Spurs' Kawhi Leonard named to All-NBA First Team for second straight season

SAN ANTONIO – San Antonio Spur and MVP candidate Kawhi Leonard was named to the 2016-17 All-NBA First Team for the second straight season, the NBA announced Thursday.

Leonard is joined on the All-NBA First Team list with the Houston Rockets' James Harden, Oklahoma City Thunder's Russell Westbrook, the Cleveland Cavaliers' LeBron James, and the New Orleans Pelicans' Anthony Davis.

Leonard tallied up a total of 490 votes, including 96 first team votes, beating out other high-profile forwards such as superstar Kevin Durant from the Golden State Warriors, and rising star Giannis Antetokounmpo from the Milwaukee Bucks, who is also known as “The Greek Freak.”

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According to the Spurs, San Antonio have now had at least one player named to the All-NBA Team in the last 20 consecutive seasons.

Leonard becomes the third player in NBA history to receive both two All-NBA First Team selections and two NBA Defensive Player of the Year awards joining Hall-of-Famer Hakeem Olajuwon and Atlanta Hawks center Dwight Howard.

Leonard is averaging 25.5 points with 49 percent shooting, 5.8 rebounds and 3.5 assists in this year’s NBA season. 

The All-NBA Second Team consists of forwards Durant and Antetokounmpo, Utah Jazz center Rudy Gobert, and guards Stephen Curry, of Golden State Warriors, and Isaiah Thomas, of the Boston Celtics.

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The All-NBA Third Team consists of guards John Wall, of Washington Wizards, and DeMar DeRozan, of Toronto Raptors, center DeAndre Jordan, of the Los Angeles Clippers, and forwards Draymond Green of the Golden State Warriors, and Jimmy Butler, of the Chicago Bulls.

According to the NBA, the only other Spurs player to receive 2017 All-NBA vote was power forward LaMarcus Aldridge, with one vote.

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Making history in this year’s selection is Cavaliers’ James, who tied the NBA record with his 11th selection to the All-NBA First Team, joining Hall-of-Famer Karl Malone and five-time champion Kobe Bryant.

The All-NBA Teams were chosen by a panel of sportswriters and broadcasters in the U.S. and Canada. The media voted for All-NBA First, Second and Third Teams by position with points awarded on a 5-3-1 basis. Voters were asked to select two guards, two forwards and one center for each team, choosing players at the position they play regularly. Players who received votes at multiple positions were slotted at the position where they received the most votes.

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