INGLEWOOD, Calif. (AP) — Kawhi Leonard has built his reputation on defense and a mid-range game featuring a deadly fadeaway jumper. Now, he's joining the 3-point club.
While the Los Angeles Clippers were losing 19 of 22 games from November through mid-December, Leonard went to coach Tyronn Lue and said he was going to try shooting 12 3-pointers a game.
“How?” Lue asked.
"You’re going to see,” Leonard replied.
With his team mired near the bottom in the West, Leonard figured it was time he tried something new.
“I thought that’s what we needed, for me to get more 3s up,” he said. “Encourage guys to shoot the ball even if it doesn’t go in.”
Leonard was 3 of 7 from 3-point range while scoring 24 points in the Clippers' 112-104 victory over the Los Angeles Lakers on Thursday night. He returned after missing the final three games of the team's road trip with a bruised left knee.
Leonard is shooting 40% from long-range this season, just off his average the previous few years.
“It's easy for me because I’m not worried about no outside opinion or my percentage,” he said. “It’s all about me evolving, and I know what it takes to become a better basketball player on that floor and if it doesn’t work out, it doesn’t work out.”
Leonard feels free to let it fly in games, where he can get plenty of repetition.
“I learned that at a young age and still have it in me,” the 34-year-old two-time NBA Finals MVP said.
Leonard has upped his game as the Clippers have won 14 of 17 games to move up in the West, even while playing under a minutes restriction.
“Shooting more 3s has allowed us to get to that 38-43 per game, which we've been trying to do,” Lue said. “Usually he settles for the mid-range pullup which he's great at, but he's been getting to the free throw line, getting to the basket has been really good for us.”
AP NBA: https://apnews.com/NBA
Los Angeles Lakers forward LeBron James, left, and Los Angeles Clippers forward Kawhi Leonard up court during the first half of an NBA basketball game Thursday, Jan. 22, 2026, in Inglewood, Calif. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)
Los Angeles Clippers forward Kawhi Leonard, left, shoots as Los Angeles Lakers forward Jarred Vanderbilt, center, and forward Rui Hachimura defend during the second half of an NBA basketball game Thursday, Jan. 22, 2026, in Inglewood, Calif. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)
MINNEAPOLIS--(BUSINESS WIRE)--May 4, 2026--
With combined business spend on loyalty, employee recognition, and channel incentives projected to exceed $80 billion by the 2030s, the incentive industry is entering a period of rapid scale and strategic pressure.
This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20260422729016/en/
In response, the Incentive Marketing Association (IMA) launched a new suite of resources designed to help incentive professionals navigate an environment that’s becoming more specialized, fragmented, and central to business performance.
“It’s not just more money coming in—it’s more complexity,” said Vince Chiofolo, President of the Incentive & Engagement Solution Providers (IESP). “Buyers are demanding programs that evolve fast, integrate deeply, and feel personal at scale. These new tools were built for that.”
IMA’s Suite of Tools Includes:
New Industry Report — Inside the Incentive Buyer’s Mind
Drawn from insights of 50+ program owners, the report from Inside the Incentive Buyer’s Mind breaks down the changing expectations of today’s buyers. This report will help:
EngageIQ — The First AI Assistant Built for Incentive Education
Now live via ChatGPT integration, EngageIQ answers real-time questions about segmentation, program design, reward models, and strategy logic.
EngageIQ brings structure to the conversations around recognition, loyalty, and incentives, and puts credible, focused knowledge within reach.
Motivation Insiders Podcast Relaunch
A sharper, more frequent series focused on the voices moving the industry forward—from practitioners and platform leaders to marketers and incentive buyers. Each episode on the Motivation Insiders Podcast brings together experts to discuss different aspects of behavioral science and how you can use them to improve your incentive and recognition programs.
Global Insights on Incentive & Recognition
The IMA Global Incentives & Recognition Report consolidates insights from executives and companies for industry professionals seeking a better understanding of the global landscape of incentive and recognition.
The report offers a focused lens, providing structure, depth and actionable insights across regions and roles. This forms a structured and scalable knowledge base—designed to deliver both global comparability and local relevance.
Recognition Professionals Certification
Built on Recognition Professionals International’s (RPI) 7 Best Practice Standards® and supported by decades of research, the CRP designation establishes you as a leader in the art and science of employee recognition.
Access all the tools at www.incentivemarketing.org.
Incentive Market Set to Surpass $80B by 2030s — IMA Launches Tools to Help the Industry Keep Pace
