Is Kawhi Leonard a Padres fan?
Not in his own words. What's on file is a background tie to the San Diego Padres, not a stated fandom.
Kawhi Leonard Full fan file: every team he roots for, with receipts
“Kawhi Leonard became a San Diego Padres fan during college.”
Reported by Sportskeeda, August 5, 2023. Backed by ClutchPoints (2025), TMZ (2022) and EssentiallySports (2023).
Last checked November 4, 2026: the quote still matched the page word for word.
What has Kawhi Leonard said about the San Diego Padres?
Nothing the sourcing captures. No quote from Kawhi Leonard himself about the Padres exists in what has been published, so there is no stated fandom to point to. What exists is a pattern of attendance and a handful of outlets describing him as a supporter.
The clearest account comes from Sportskeeda, which wrote on August 5, 2023: "Kawhi Leonard became a San Diego Padres fan during college." That is the writer's claim, not Leonard's, and it is the closest thing to a stated origin for the tie.
When did Kawhi Leonard become a Padres fan?
According to Sportskeeda, during college. Leonard played at San Diego State from 2009 to 2011, so the timing lines up with his years living in San Diego. ClutchPoints made the same connection on July 6, 2025: "If anybody is wondering, Leonard is a big fan because he used to go to school in San Diego." Both are outside explanations of why he might follow the team, offered by writers rather than by Leonard.
Did Kawhi Leonard grow up a Padres fan?
Nothing suggests it. Leonard was born in Los Angeles, California, on June 29, 1991, and the available biography gives no childhood connection to San Diego. The Padres link starts with his college years. That makes this a tie formed in adulthood, and a Los Angeles native supporting a San Diego team is exactly what EssentiallySports picked up on in August 2023, with a headline reading "Kawhi Leonard shocks Los Angeles by supporting the San Diego Padres."
Does Kawhi Leonard like the San Diego Padres?
The attendance evidence points that way, though it stops short of a statement. TMZ reported on August 9, 2022 that Leonard, "who rarely makes public appearances," showed up to an event "with his fam decked out in Padres gear." Showing up in team apparel at a public event is the kind of behavior that gets read as fandom, and it is why outlets keep describing him as a fan. It remains an observed pattern, not a declaration from him.
Leonard's professional career has been tied to other cities: the San Antonio Spurs from 2011 to 2018, the Toronto Raptors, the Los Angeles Clippers from 2019 to 2026, and the Raptors again from 2026. None of those stops has a baseball team attached to it in the sourcing, so the Padres connection rests on his time at San Diego State.
Which other athletes are Padres fans?
Nothing in the sourcing ties other players to the Padres.
Questions people ask
Is Kawhi Leonard a Padres fan?
Not in his own words. Outlets including Sportskeeda, ClutchPoints and TMZ describe a background tie to the Padres, but Leonard has not stated a fandom himself.
When did Kawhi Leonard become a Padres fan?
Sportskeeda wrote in August 2023 that it happened during college. Leonard attended San Diego State from 2009 to 2011.
Did Kawhi Leonard grow up a Padres fan?
No source says so. He was born in Los Angeles, and the Padres connection is tied to his college years in San Diego.
Does Kawhi Leonard like the San Diego Padres?
TMZ reported in August 2022 that he attended an event with his family wearing Padres gear. That is observed behavior, not a statement from him.