NBA Playoffs 2019: Who is Meyers Leonard? Fast facts on the Portland Trail Blazers' center

Yash Matange

NBA Playoffs 2019: Who is Meyers Leonard? Fast facts on the Portland Trail Blazers' center image

In the Game 3 of the 2019 Western Conference Finals between the Golden State Warriors and Portland Trail Blazers, Meyers Leonard recorded a playoff career-high 16 points including three 3-pointers. 

He went off for even better performance in Game 4. 

In the first half, he scored a career-high (playoff, regular season or college) 25 points on a super-efficient 10-of-12 shooting to go along with his four rebounds and two assists. 

Background

Meyers Leonard was born on February 27, 1992 (27-years-old) in Woodbridge, Virginia. 

College experience

Leonard played a couple of years of college ball at Illinois. In his first year, he averaged 2.1 points and 1.2 rebounds in 8.2 minutes per game. 

After his first season, he was one of 12 players selected to represent USA at the 2011 FIBA U-19 World Championships in Latvia. His second year in college saw a huge increase in his averages - 13.6 points and 8.2 rebounds. 

NBA experience

Entering the 2012 NBA Draft, Leonard was picked 11th overall by the Portland Trail Blazers. 

For much of his time with the franchise, Leonard was filling in as a back-up every time the team needed him. 

He came to an agreement to re-sign with the team in 2016 with a four-year $41 million contract. 

He finished Game 4 of the Conference Finals with 30 points, 12 rebounds, and three assists on 12-of-16 shooting and 5-of-8 from 3-point range. 

Yash Matange

Yash Matange Photo