Leshabela, 21, who joined the Foxes academy in 2013 made his long-awaited English top-flight debut in their 5-0 victory over Sheffield United this weekend which has taken them one step close to securing UEFA Champions League football for next season.
The South Africa youth international was introduced in the final 10 minutes of the clash at the King Power Stadium for Ayoze Perez after being named on the bench seven times this season in all competitions, which Rodgers duly noted was down to his work-ethic since being told he won't be sent out on loan.
"Yeah [he's worked] very [hard], we've given a lot of young players there taste of first-team football and he's a young player who's worked very hard, he was unfortunate not go on loan," Rodgers explained via LCFC TV.
"We had to keep him to have him around the first-team squad and got his reward for that. There's still a long way to go for him but he's got quality and he came into the game and showed nice confidence."
Leshebela represented South Africa at the U-20 AFCON and U-20 World Cup in 2019 under the management of former national youth team coach Thabo Senong.