Basketball player Kawhi Leonard spotted wearing a Rolex

Kawhi Leonard arrived at Staples Center ahead of a Los Angeles Clippers home game against his former San Antonio Spurs employers looking effortlessly understated in a tie-dye New Balance Basketball hoodie — until you noticed the wrist. Peeking out from under the cuff was one of the most coveted configurations in the modern Rolex catalogue: a Day-Date 40 in 18k Everose gold with an olive green dial and factory diamond bezel.

The watch in question is almost certainly reference 228345RBR, introduced in 2016 to celebrate the Day-Date's 60th anniversary. Rolex debuted the enlarged 40mm case at that milestone, upgrading from the long-running 36mm 118235 and adopting the in-house calibre 3255 — a movement boasting a 70-hour power reserve, Chronergy escapement, and a Parachrom hairspring delivering roughly 50% greater resistance to shocks compared to its predecessor. The President bracelet retains its iconic three-link design but is now proportioned to the wider case with characteristic Rolex precision.

The dial configuration Leonard is wearing ranks among the most requested in the Day-Date 40 range. The olive green sunburst finish reads differently under every light source, shifting from deep forest tones to bright jade. Applied rose gold Roman numerals at VI and IX anchor the classical aesthetic, while baton indices fill the remaining positions. The 40-stone brilliant-cut diamond bezel — all factory-set by Rolex — adds roughly $15,000–$18,000 to the base reference price without diamonds.

For collectors, the 228345RBR occupies a sweet spot: it is technically accessible through authorized dealers yet perpetually waitlisted, commanding a significant grey-market premium that has remained sticky even through broader market corrections in 2023–2024. The combination of Everose case, olive dial, and diamond bezel is among the top three most requested Day-Date 40 specs globally, according to secondary market data.

Leonard, who signed a landmark endorsement deal with New Balance — the first major basketball shoe deal for the brand in decades — has quietly built a watch collection befitting his stature as a two-time Finals MVP. The choice of a Day-Date, historically the watch of presidents and power brokers, feels entirely appropriate for a player who controls every aspect of his professional life with equal deliberateness.