Kawhi Leonard's Game 7 Buzzer-Beater Leads To Prestigious Award

Kawhi Leonard went on a dominant run in the 2019 NBA playoffs with the Toronto Raptors. He helped the team win their first-ever championship and he ended up with Finals MVP honors in the process. Perhaps his most shining moment in the playoffs was when he dropped a game-winning buzzer-beater in game 7 of the Eastern Conference Semi-Finals against the Philadelphia 76ers. It propelled his team to an unlikely victory that remains the best moment in Raptors history.

When Leonard took the shot, it made numerous bounces before dropping. Photographer Mark Blinch was able to capture the moment in which everyone on the court began reacting to the shot before it dropped. These reactions are all over the place and they make for a photo as iconic as the basket itself.

Blinch’s efforts were rewarded recently as it was revealed that his photo won the “Best Sports Photo Of The Year” award for World Press Photo.

For those who don’t know, World Press Photo is one of the most prestigious photography institutions in the world. For Blinch to be recognized for this image is not only huge for his career but the game of basketball as a whole. 

While this moment will forever be iconic, there is no denying Blinch helped immortalize the moment and the emotions surrounding it, forever.