When the Toronto Raptors officially welcomed Kawhi Leonard back to the franchise, the basketball world immediately fixated on the obvious storylines: the return of a legendary closer, the creation of a terrifying defensive tandem alongside Scottie Barnes, and the opening of a legitimate three-year championship window.
However, during Raptors Media Day at Hotel-X, head coach Darko Rajakovic dropped a tactical hint about Leonard’s role that deserves just as much attention. While discussing how the two-way superstar will integrate into Toronto’s system, Rajakovic highlighted a facet of Leonard’s game that often flies under the radar: defensive rebounding.
“Kawhi does so many things at a high level already. I think, defensively, the way we want to play, the way we want to be disruptive, it’s going to be something that he needs to help us there in that area as well. You know, he needs to help us with rebounding the ball on the defensive end,” Rajakovic told reporters.
For a Raptors team desperately searching for ways to shore up its interior glasswork, Leonard’s elite abilities as a positional rebounder might just be the missing puzzle piece.
Fixing a Glaring Weakness on the Glass
To understand why Rajakovic is calling on Leonard for help on the boards, you only have to look at Toronto’s recent struggles. Last season, the Raptors earned a playoff berth, but they did so while ranking among the bottom eight teams in defensive rebounds per game.
Those vulnerabilities were brutally exposed during their grueling seven-year-long playoff series against the Cleveland Cavaliers, where Toronto gave up the second-most offensive rebounds per game of any postseason team.
Relying solely on veteran center Jakob Poeltl to battle towering frontcourts in the paint is a risky formula, especially given his recent health and durability concerns. By leaning on Leonard’s exceptional length, strength, and anticipation on the defensive glass, Toronto instantly relieves the pressure on its frontcourt.
Elite Advanced Stats Back Up the Hype
While headlines will understandably focus on Leonard’s elite scoring punch—coming off a stellar 2025–26 campaign where he poured in 27.9 points per game while shooting 38.7 percent from beyond the arc—his rebounding resume is equally impressive.
Last season, Leonard pulled down 6.4 rebounds per contest. More importantly, advanced metrics from Cleaning the Glass illustrate just how elite his work on the glass truly is. Leonard graded out in the 91st percentile in rebounding missed field goals on the defensive glass and an astonishing 97th percentile in corralling missed free throws.
Throughout his decorated 15-year NBA career, Leonard has consistently averaged over five to seven boards a night, utilizing elite body control and defensive discipline. For a wing player, he is quite literally an A1 rebounder.
The Missing Piece for a Deep Playoff Run
The excitement surrounding Kawhi Leonard’s return to Toronto is fully justified. He brings championship pedigree, elite floor-spacing, and lockdown perimeter defense back to the North.
However, as Rajakovic’s comments made clear, basketball games are won and lost in the gritty details. By shoring up defensive rebounding and ensuring possessions actually end with a stop, Leonard’s underrated work on the glass could provide the hidden value that turns the Raptors from playoff contenders into legitimate title threats.
Do you think Kawhi Leonard’s presence on the boards makes the Toronto Raptors immediate contenders in the Eastern Conference?
