Kawhi Leonard Reportedly Files Federal Lawsuit Against Nike

Kawhi Leonard is in the midst of what is likely the biggest series of his life, carrying his own team to the Finals for the first time while trying to figure out what he wants to do this summer with his free agency. Now, it’s been reported he’s adding legal struggles to his list of worries.

Matthew Kish of the Portland Business Journal reports the star forward has filed a federal lawsuit against Nike over their copyright of his “Klaw” symbol.

Leonard claims Nike copyrighted the logo without his consent after he gave them permission to use the logo on certain pieces of merchandise while he was under contract with the company. His contract expired in September of 2018, and Leonard has since moved on to sponsor New Balance.

It will be interesting to see how this proceeds, as there aren’t many, if any, precedents for a player as high profile as Leonard suing a company like Nike in federal court over a copyright claim.