Sports Illustrated
Tuesday June 4, 2019
By CHARLOTTE CARROLL
Kawhi Leonard has filed a lawsuit against Nike claiming he designed the logo that appeared on his Nike apparel, but the company copyrighted it without Leonard's consent, reports Portland Business Journal's Matthew Kish.
According to Kish, the lawsuit was filed Monday in United States District Court in Southern California.
Last week, the New York Times' Marc Stein reported the Clippers have "quietly looked into ... purchasing the rights to Leonard's 'Klaw' logo," which is owned by Nike. Stein reported the team was considering purchasing the logo in their pursuit of Leonard, who will be a free agent at the end of the season.
According to Kish, in the lawsuit, Leonard claims the logo is an extension of his drawings he made and gave Nike permission to use on "certain merchandise." Leonard says Nike filed for copyright registration without his consent.
Leonard signed an endorsement deal with New Balance in November 2018 after leaving Nike.
Leonard is the middle of the NBA Finals, leading the Raptors to a 1–1 series against the Warriors. Leonard is averaging 30.9 points and 9.1 points this postseason. The Raptors next play Wednesday in Game 3.