Kawhi Leonard isn't the most interesting NBA star, not by a long shot. There's no questioning the his immense talent, but he doesn't exactly have the bubbly personality or significant social presence that a lot of his peers use to up their personal brand. 

One would assume that presented a challenge for New Balance, the sneaker company that inked Leonard to a big-time shoe deal in 2018. How do you market a star that is lacking in the personality department, at least from a public perspective? 

Well, a new ad from New Balance this week shows that the company has found a way. Rather than try to force the Toronto Raptors star into being more outgoing or visible away from the court, they're choosing to spin his limited public persona into a positive. 

The ad paints Kawhi as a professional who ignores all the outside distractions and just focuses on playing basketball, and doing it the right way. (It would seem the company is hoping most people are willing to forget last year's dramatic saga that ended in a bitter divorce from the San Antonio Spurs.)

While propping up the All-Star, the ad seems to throw shade at a number of other big-name stars who might be considered more interesting or marketable than Kawhi. There's the bit about him not needing to chase fouls. (James Harden? LeBron James?) There's the bit about him ignoring the comments. (*cough* *cough* Kevin Durant *cough*) And then there's the bit about the selfies. (This could be pretty much anyone.) 

Even if you're one of the people that believes Kawhi is "boring," this piece of advertising certainly is not. It's a damn good ad that takes a narrative and flips it on its head, sort of like Charles Barkley's "I Am Not A Role Model" spot from Nike years ago. Not quite the same message, but a similar theme. 

If nothing else, it's a strong lead-up to Kawhi's first signature NB sneaker, which will debut at this weekend's NBA All-Star Game.