On Friday night, the Los Angeles Clippers took a 125-122 loss to the Los Angeles Lakers. Clippers forward Kawhi Leonard totaled 31 points, four rebounds, and five assists over 31 minutes.
At a postgame media availability, as captured by ESPN’s Dave McMenamin, Lakers forward LeBron James directed praise toward Leonard. The 22-time All-Star revealed that he was disappointed when Leonard had to withdraw himself from Team USA's campaign at the 2024 Paris Olympics.
“Kawhi is awesome, man. He’s the best. He’s one of the best players ever. I couldn’t care less about the injuries… I was disappointed during the 2024 Olympic team when he wasn’t able to go with us. I was looking forward to teaming up with Kawhi. I was a little disappointed about that, when he had to deal with another injury.”
During a 2024 playoff series against the Dallas Mavericks, Leonard suffered a season-ending right knee injury. As shared by Clippers head coach Tyronn Lue, Leonard then faced a setback in his recovery while participating in the United States national team camp.
While Leonard intended to play in Team USA's first exhibition game against Team Canada, he ultimately opted to forfeit his spot to focus on preparing for next season. The 7-time All-Star was replaced by Boston Celtics guard Derrick White.
Leonard made his return to action 34 games into the 2024-2025 season. He remained a consistent contributor moving forward, leading the Clippers to the fifth seed in the Western Conference. The franchise was eliminated in the opening round of the playoffs to the Denver Nuggets.
This season, the 34-year-old Leonard is averaging a career-high 27.8 points per game. He earned an All-Star selection earlier this month and is currently ranked tenth in the latest edition of the NBA's MVP Ladder.
Despite Leonard having a standout year, Los Angeles is in danger of missing the playoffs. With a 27-29 record, the Clippers hold the ninth spot in the Western Conference standings.
With the departures of James Harden and Ivica Zubac from the Clippers, Leonard will serve as a key leader for a young core.
2026 NEWSWEEK DIGITAL LLC.