© John E. Sokolowski-USA TODAY Sports
While Kawhi Leonard shoulders the burden of being the Toronto Raptors’ star player, he’s engaging in an off-court battle. Leonard, a New Balance athlete, is suing Nike for using his “Klaw” logo. This was not something that just emerged, but was filed months ago; lawsuit was filed on Monday, the day after the Warriors evened the series against the Raptors with a 109-104 Game 2 victory.
Leonard was a Nike athlete until September 20, 2018, when the deal expired. At that point, he signed with New Balance. Nike has apparently since tried to take ownership of the logo which Leonard himself designed.
According to ESPN’s Tim Bontemps, the lawsuit states that Leonard designed the logo just after being drafted.
“In 2011, just after being drafted to the National Basketball Association, Kawhi Leonard authored a unique logo that included elements that were meaningful and unique to him,” states the suit. “Leonard traced his notably large hand, and, inside the hand, drew stylized versions of his initials ‘KL’ and the number that he had worn for much of his career, ‘2.’ The drawing Leonard authored was an extension and continuation of drawings he had been creating since early in his college career.”
Nike on Kawhi Leonard suing them alleging the company trademarked the logo he created as their own when he was with the brand: “We do not comment on pending litigation.” Logo has not been on his New Balance product. pic.twitter.com/CJtugyQ7wY
— Darren Rovell (@darrenrovell) June 4, 2019
The lawsuit, quoted in Bontemps’ story, explains how Nike tried to take control over the logo without Leonard’s knowledge.
“Several years later, as part of an endorsement deal with Nike, Leonard allowed Nike to use on certain merchandise the logo he created while Leonard continued to use the logo on non-Nike goods,” the suit stated. “Unbeknownst to Leonard and without his consent, Nike filed an application for copyright registration of his logo and falsely represented in the application that Nike had authored the logo.”