By Matthew Kenerly | June 14, 2019 8:31 am MT

Daily Hike, June 14: Kawhi Leonard Defies the Skeptics

Lots of Mountain West Conference news slips through the cracks, but we have you covered.

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Last night was a big one for the Mountain West, and you can say what you like about torn ACLs but you still have dance with all the ones that brought you, right? Heres what you need to know to get caught ip.

Mountain West football: Non-conference first looks [MW Wire]

The OOC initial previews keep rolling out, so be sure to stay on top of them in order to be better prepared for August:

Colorado State: Western Illinois and Toledo
Fresno State: Sacramento State and USC
Nevada: Oregon and Purdue
New Mexico: Sam Houston State
San Diego State: BYU
Utah State: Wake Forest

Important newcomers to Mountain West basketball [MW Wire]

It seems like every team in the conference is reloading for a run at the crown, so Eli Boettger points out the new folks who might play key roles in that race.

Which sophomores could take a star turn on the gridiron this season? [MW Wire]

If you don’t know these guys yet, now is a good time to start taking notice.

Kawhi Leonard sure did pay no mind to a lot of haters, huh? [Twitter]

Kawhi Leonard accepts the 2019 Bill Russell #NBAFinals MVP trophy! #WeTheNorth pic.twitter.com/VtnTvARm6K

— NBA (@NBA) June 14, 2019

UNLEASH #KawhiLeonard pic.twitter.com/4v2vAnLHuf

— Freezing Cold Takes (@OldTakesExposed) June 14, 2019

"A lot of people doubted me, thought I was either faking an injury or didn’t want to play for a team. That was disappointing to me."

Kawhi Leonard on his journey this past year. pic.twitter.com/huqHxEYjmJ

— ESPN (@espn) June 14, 2019

"Let’s go out and do something special. I know your best friend left. I know you’re mad. But let’s make this thing work out."

Kawhi Leonard shares what he texted Kyle Lowry when he was traded to Toronto. #WeTheNorth pic.twitter.com/ULspUo8MsT

— Sportsnet (@Sportsnet) June 14, 2019

Confirmation that Kawhi Leonard is indeed a “fun guy”. pic.twitter.com/kSZcBLQPOT

— Sid Seixeiro (@Sid_Seixeiro) June 14, 2019

Board man gets paid, board man gets respect, board man is almost certainly a Hall of Fame lock now.

Will Andrew Van Buren raise his game? [Idaho Press-Tribune]

If you are a Broncos fan, dont forget to follow this countdown of Boise State’s most crucial players for the upcoming season.

Who stood out at Nevada this year? [Nevada Sports Net]

Chris Murray unveils his list of those who truly led the Wolf Pack this past academic year.

Nic Ready is ready for the pros [Colorado Springs Gazette]

He made a name for himself hitting many dingers for Air Force. Now, he hopes to follow Griffin Jax’s path to the major leagues.

Reflecting on a national title at New Mexico [Albuquerque Journal]

In case you missed it, a Lobo did bring a title back to the Land of Enchantment. Steve Virgen chats with Weini Kelati about the journey to winning the 10,000-meter race at the NCAA championships.