“Want to win an Oscar”: Kawhi Leonard hilariously admits coveting Academy Award after starring in ‘Ocean’s Eleven’ NBA advert

Kawhi Leonard was one of the NBA stars who recently featured in the 2023 NBA In-Season Tournament commercial that premiered early this season. Fans who tuned in to the opening night of action on TNT Tuesday night were quick to notice the number of high-profile stars, including Draymond Green, Trae Young, and DeMar DeRozan.

The commercial was shot in an Ocean's Eleven style theme advertising the NBA In-Season Tournament as a heist. After seeing DeRozan make his way through a casino, and then fight off Trae Young, the focus shifts to Draymond Green.

The four-time NBA champ can be seen posing as a security guard while escorting the NBA Cup in a gigantic case. When he passes through the kitchen of the casino, we briefly see two-time Finals MVP Kawhi Leonard.

In a video posted by the NBA, Leonard can be seen discussing his acting abilities, while joking that he wants to win an Oscar for his performance. In the video, Leonard was asked to rate his acting abilities out of 10, to which he says:

"10 out of 10. ... I won't say one take because I want it to be great. I want to win an Oscar so I'll say I'll give it four tries and then it's complete."

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Looking at Kawhi Leonard and the LA Clippers hopes for a championship

Last season, the LA Clippers had their championship hopes squashed largely due to injuries. In the playoffs, Russell Westbrook did his best to fuel the team to victory, with Kawhi Leonard playing in two games, and Paul George on the sideline.

Despite that, the Clippers fell to the Phoenix Suns in the first round of the playoffs. The loss led to a number of questions regarding whether the team would split up the dynamic duo of Leonard and George.

After shutting down talk of a blockbuster trade for either player, the Clippers set their sights on this season, while re-signing Russell Westbrook in the process. This season, they started things off on the right foot with a 123-111 win over the Portland Trail Blazers in their season opener.

The game saw Kawhi Leonard drop 23 points, while Paul George contributed 27, and Ivica Zubac had a 20-point double-double of his own. On Friday, the team will face off with the Utah Jazz, in what they hope will be the start of a win streak.

Currently, the team finds themselves sitting as longshots to win the NBA Finals with +1800 odds on DraftKings Sportsbook. The odds put them in seventh place to win a championship, however, if George and Leonard can stay healthy, those odds will likely improve.