Kawhi Leonard spoke with Chris Haynes about the upcoming All-Star Game at the Intuit Dome, emphasizing his desire to inspire local youth. Leonard also congratulated Chris Paul on his storied career and expressed hope that the game's starters will set a competitive tone for the event.
Kawhi Leonard is not a type of guy that loves giving interviews often.
Kawhi Leonard
Kawhi Leonard
Kawhi Leonard
MIN: 32.78
PTS: 27.88 (59.44%)
REB: 6.41
AS: 3.68
ST: 2.1
BL: 0.51
TO: 2.15
GM: 41
This time, he made an exception, as he talked with Chris Haynes ahead of the 2026 NBA All-Star Event in Intuit Dome where he plays for the Los Angeles Clippers.
Leonard is excited about the opportunity to play in his hometown:
"For sure, being here in Los Angeles, community that I grew up in, kids in it being happy, just trying to inspire them. It's going to be great."
Leonard praised his former teammate Chris Paul who retired from basketball this week after starting the season with the Clippers:
"I only had him for a quick second but, y'know, last fourteen years, he was always there, he's always been great."
"A leader, a guy that cares about his family, that gives you useful advice on and off the court. He was one of my inspirations growing up. Congrats to him on his career."
Leonard didn't know much about this year's All-Star Game format, but he hopes that it will be competitive:
"I think it depends on the starters. If they play hard, everyone will play hard. I'm not sure what the new format is but I hope everyone will compete, they usually do,"
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