You’ve got to hand it to Raptors star Kawhi Leonard. The 2019 Finals MVP, who’s enjoying the peak of his popularity following Toronto’s first ever NBA title victory, managed to find time ahead of Monday’s parade to stroll down University Avenue to sign autographs and pose for selfies with fans. Or did he?
There’s a fake Kawhi Leonard signing autographs at the Raptors championship parade? https://t.co/4rSfak4pTU pic.twitter.com/DOmcmjz7KH
— For The Win (@ForTheWin) June 17, 2019
While the man sported Leonard’s jersey, hairstyle and height, he wasn’t the real McCoy. The ruse was uncovered after excited fans began posted pictures online to brag about meeting the Raptors star — only to learn they’d been duped.
While some commenters took shots at the imposter, and others at the hundreds of fans who fell for the scam, by the end of the day “Fake Kawhi,” as he came to be known, seemed to become a celebrity in his own right. Posters seemed just as proud to upload photos of him as were the minority who snapped pics of the real Leonard.
If you resembled a star, would take an opportunity like this to see how it feels to be famous?