Kaliyah Leonard’s Iconic Public Appearances in Her Otherwise Private Life

Kaliyah Leonard grabs attention without batting or lifting an eyelid. The eldest daughter of Kawhi Leonard has had quite a few memorable outings with the MVP.

For a daughter from a private family, Kaliyah Leonard has become a standout amongst the NBA player’s children by just being herself and without the help of social media. However, her parents do well to protect her where they can.

As exciting as the two championship rings are on the All-Star’s hand, the sparkling band on the mother of his two children’s ring finger sparked speculation about the parents’ relationship status.

Kaliyah Leonard Is the Eldest Child of Kawhi Leonard and His Only Daughter

Kawhi and college sweetheart Kishele Shipley welcomed their firstborn, Kaliyah, in 2016. The toddler went viral when she was photographed fast asleep across two seats on a double-decker bus as her parents celebrated the Raptor’s first NBA title at a parade in June 2019.

Kaliyah became the big sister to an unnamed baby brother in April 2019.

The sweet family moment captured the imagination of sports fans on social media. The three-year-old’s ability to sleep through the noisy festivities of most of Toronto’s population was greatly admired and coveted.

Kawhi Leonard sits with his family during the first half of the game against the Utah State Aggies at Viejas Arena, on February 1, 2020, in San Diego, California. | Source: Getty Images

Kaliyah Leonard and Her Family Live a Private Life

According to news reports, Shipley and her sports star beau met at San Diego State and have stayed together as Kawhi moved between teams across North America. She has been identified as his fiancée as far back as 2016, but there hasn’t been a confirmation from them

TMZ published photos of the pair after landing at LAX in May 2022. The mom’s stylish but casual mustard bike shorts and sweater were outshined by the blinding ring with multiple diamonds on her left ring finger.

Not long after the paparazzi shots were taken, she was spotted without the supposed engagement ring. The Clippers player’s representation did not comment on the photos.

The two-time NBC champion’s online platforms are used purely for work and promotional purposes. The nearest he gets to posts about his personal life is snaps with his friend, Canadian rapper Drake.

Kaliyah became the big sister to an unnamed baby brother in April 2019. During a press conference in Canada before his move to LA to play alongside Paul George, the basketball player thanked Raptor fans for their support and the doctors who delivered his son.

Kaliyah’s Barbados family holiday of June 2019 was detailed in a photo spread in a British tabloid. Her parents made the most of the island’s water sports while she joined them for a beach picnic.

Kawhi Leonard, Kaliyah Leonard (front) and Kishele Shipley attend Nickelodeon Kids’ Choice Sports 2019 at Barker Hangar, on July 11, 2019, in Santa Monica, California. | Source: Getty Images

Kaliyah Leonard’s Memorable Public Appearances

The toddler’s naptime photo by Frank Gunn is but one of Kaliyah’s delightful moments captured that day. Once awake and cradled on her dad’s hip, her red tutu and a purple shirt printed with Kawhi’s jersey number came to their full glory at the 2019 parade.

Later the pigtailed tot barely looked at Justin Trudeau when her dad chatted with the Prime Minister, looking around at the crowd as she held onto her dad tightly. During a photo op in 2020, she pointed to her father’s blue and white Clippers uniform and earnestly asked:

“Why are you wearing that all the time?”

Leonard’s Father Plays for His Son

When Kawhi became a first-time dad with Kaliyah in 2016, he told ESPN, “It’s just a great feeling once you have a child.” The star has rebounded from numerous injuries during his NBA career. He said that his son probably motivates him to keep playing:

“Once he gets to the age to play basketball, I want to be able to play with him still.”

Kawhi has a big heart for all children. In 2019, he teamed up with Baby2Baby and the L.A. Clippers Foundation to distribute one million backpacks to school children in need in greater Los Angeles.

The MVP brought along his team mascot, Chuck the Condor, when he dropped in expectantly at the first schools to benefit from the donation, including his old school in Moreno Valley, Cloverdale Elementary.