Two days after a chaotic Sunday evening for fans of the LA Clippers, where Kawhi Leonard was snubbed from the All-Star game and the team was scheduled to play the front end of a back-to-back, NBA commissioner Adam Silver made an extra addition to the reserve roster. It was the Clippers’ one and only Leonard, leaving a sour impression, as he was seen as a last resort despite the positive results.
But how did Leonard suddenly get selected roughly 48 hours after being snubbed from the bench? Well, Shams Charania confirmed via X (formerly Twitter) that the two-time champion was added so the U.S. count for the game could reach 16, which was the minimum.
Los Angeles Clippers star Kawhi Leonard has been selected to the 2026 NBA All-Star Game. After the selection of the initial 24 All-Stars, Leonard was added to bring the total number of U.S. All-Stars to 16, the minimum required.
— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) February 3, 2026
This aligns with the league’s new format, Team USA versus Team World, which Leonard will ultimately be part of. It is new, and will certainly be an interesting watch, yet the Clippers’ face of the franchise has officially been crowned with his seventh All-Star appearance.
Although selection is a selection nonetheless, and Leonard deserved it after all, his being a last-second squeeze in due to the requirements feels different, in a sense.
Kawhi Leonard must have a chip on his shoulder for the remainder of the season
Over the last two days, narratives and reasons were intertwined about Kawhi Leonard missing the 2026 All-Star game at the Intuit Dome, yet it seemed like a pure snub. However, Leonard was still booked a trip, which must not change his approach to the season.
Leonard has 33 games to prove he not only deserved to have his name announced on Sunday, but also when the starters were announced days ago.
Leonard is averaging a surreal 27.6 points and 6.1 boards on 62.5% true shooting, and by the end of the year, his individual goal should be to finish on the select list of players to average as close to 30 points as possible, shooting 50-40-90 for over 65 games.
Therefore, he will have played above the 65-game minimum and will be eligible for All-NBA and All-Defensive honors, as well as consideration for MVP, which truly is not far off if the Clippers notch the sixth seed or higher.
At that point, Leonard would have logged a convincing campaign that he should not have been a fallback option. His season deserved recognition in the moment, and the end result will be etched into the memories of fans worldwide for years to come.