Not long after the Clippers signed prize free agent Kawhi Leonard in July 2019, Johnny Wilkes, the self-described best friend of Leonard’s uncle, drafted a list of requests for the team.
Wilkes wanted a job as the team’s vice president of special events. He wanted a five-year contract. He wanted a staff of four to five people. He wanted the use of four courtside seats and a skybox. He wanted to suggest local coaches to hire for the Clippers’ G League franchise. And he wanted $2.5 million in exchange for his purported role in Leonard choosing the Clippers.