Trail Blazers power forward strives to inspire others

Trail Blazers power forward strives to inspire others

Teammates have a nickname for Portland Trail Blazers power forward Meyers Leonard.

Portland guard Gerald Henderson said, “We call him ‘The Hammer.’ If he says he is going to do something he does it. He is very helpful, an unselfish kind of guy. You can tell that he has come from a good background.”

Leonard’s background includes dealing with tragedy at a young age, concern over a military brother fighting a war, small-town values and faith.

“I was raised in a humble household in a small town (Robinson, Illinois) and was taught the right things from the beginning. I have had some trials and tribulations. I have been very blessed to be in the situation that I am in. I think God has a plan for all of us,” Leonard said. “We didn’t have much money. … (But) I was raised the right way. I love to be around people. I love to give back.”

In his fourth NBA season, Leonard says he has “such an opportunity to give back.”

Along with helping youth camps in Robinson financially, he wants to be an inspiration to young kids and others.

“I think that is God’s plan for me. I don’t know the extent of it but I think He wants me to be someone who is willing to give and to give inspiration.”

When Leonard was six years old his father, Jim Leonard, a golf pro, died from injuries sustained in a bicycle accident.

His mother, Tracie Leonard, has lived in pain from multiple disc surgeries following a horseback riding accident. Formerly a runner, many days tracking 10 miles, she could not work because of the crippling pain.

Although Meyers Leonard was young when his father died, he remembers what he was told about him: Jim Leonard was a fun-loving guy with good morals who youth liked to be around.

Robinson Insurance agent Brian Siler, who has a son Leonard’s age, took him under his family’s wing. They took Leonard on family vacations and to church. Leonard became a Christian when he was in the sixth grade.

“I went to church pretty often. I go to church now when I can. It’s tough because we have a lot of practices and games on Sunday,” said Leonard, who is a regular at NBA chapel services provided by team chaplains.

“I have been very fortunate to have my high school athletic trainer (Scott Rawlings) that I had,” he said. Rawlings worked with Leonard and pushed him to reach his basketball potential.

“Then I go to college, I have Bruce Weber, my head coach. I love Bruce Weber.”

Now the men’s head basketball coach at Kansas State University in Manhatten, Weber coached Leonard at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign.

After leading Robinson High School to the Class 2-A state basketball championship in 2010, his biggest thrill in sports, Leonard played the 2010–2012 seasons for the Fighting Illini.

Weber “expected a lot from me as a man number one and obviously as a player,” said Leonard, who was the 11th overall pick in the first round of the 2012 NBA Draft by the Trail Blazers.

In the NBA, Leonard, who is over 7 feet tall and weighs 255 pounds, has a career average of 5.8 points per game, 4.3 points in playoffs and 4.0 rebounds, with 3.9 rebounds in playoffs. He has 71 career blocks.

Through the 2016 NBA All-Star break, Leonard was averaging 8.8 points a game and 5.1 rebounds. He missed seven games this season because of a shoulder injury.

At Portland he found another mentor in former assistant coach Kim Hughes. “Kim Hughes was a huge part of my first three years. He took me under his wing. He taught me a lot about life, a lot about basketball,” he said.

Leonard’s favorite Bible verse — Hebrews 11:1: “Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen” — is displayed on his Twitter account. 

“[The verse] translates in life and the basketball court,” Leonard said. “Jesus is our God and Savior. I believe when I die I am going to go to heaven. I want to follow in His footsteps.

“I try to live life the right way and treat people with respect and do the right things as much as I can,” he said. “I try to be as humble as possible and share with others.”

Portland center/forward Mason Plumlee said, “He is very devout in his faith. He is a good example and he lives it out. He is a role model. He is a super-positive guy. He is very much about the team, whether he is playing well or not individually. He is always picking up the next person. He is a very selfless teammate. He is a great guy to have around.”