During the 2023-24 NBA playoffs, Los Angeles Clippers star Kawhi Leonard suffered a right knee injury. As a result, he missed the remainder of the playoffs, leading the team to its loss in the first round against the Dallas Mavericks. While he is yet to appear in an NBA game this season, his recent picture sparked buzz on social media.
Initially, Team USA selected Leonard for their roster for the 2024 Paris Olympics. However, they later removed him to allow him to concentrate on recovering from his knee injury, intending to return for the 2024-25 NBA season. Unfortunately, things did not go as planned. At the beginning of the 2024-25 season, he was ruled out indefinitely due to inflammation in his right knee.
As of now, he has not played any games in the new NBA season. Recently, he appeared in a training session, giving hope to his fans. However, fans noticed something unusual in a photo from the session: his left knee and leg appeared larger than his right. This observation sparked discussions among fans on social media.
Kawhi Leonard. pic.twitter.com/k50iyDvj8v
— Justin Russo (@FlyByKnite) December 26, 2024
His knee can’t handle another surgery 💔, may Allah let him stay healthy https://t.co/jg3Vf119TV pic.twitter.com/L71e5ghsCy
— HoodieBev (@HoodieBev) December 26, 2024
One fan said, “Do you see what I see, the left knee looks bigger maybe it’s still swollen and not fully healed.”
Do you see what I see, the left knee looks bigger maybe it’s still swollen and not fully healed.
— JamalW (@JamalW64600) December 27, 2024
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Meanwhile, another fan mentioned, “the right knee has no cartilage left from all the surgery’s.”
the right knee has no cartilage left from all the surgery’s
— HoodieBev (@HoodieBev) December 27, 2024
Another fan commented about Leonard’s Knee, “the muscle imbalance.“
the muscle imbalance ☹️☹️
— Top J (Alpha Male) 👑 (@HardRight2025) December 27, 2024
A sports enthusiast remarked, “This is just a bad angle. How you gonna see knee damage visibly other than a dislocation?!”
This is just a bad angle. How you gonna see knee damage visibly other than a dislocation?!
— “Jacob” (@Jacob_buoyH) December 27, 2024
Another fan commented, “Bro where is the right knee.”
Bro where is the right knee 💀
— Kopick (@_kopick) December 27, 2024
Another fan said, “No cartilage left on that right knee brah.”
No cartilage left on that right knee brah 💔
— Bekk (@bekkRMA) December 27, 2024
Tyronn Lue Confirms Leonard’s Positive Progress In Knee Recovery
After sitting out 30 games this season, Leonard participated in a practice session on Thursday. Clippers Coach Tyronn Lue shared in a recent interview that Leonard is showing positive signs of recovery from his right knee injury. However, it’s important to note that there is still no set timeline for when he might return to the court.
“He has to play some more five-on-five. So we got to get all the days, we got to get him in, keep stacking the days, and see how he fares after that. Making sure he’s doing everything so this doesn’t occur again so we can kind of monitor the fluid and see how it’s working. So far, it’s been really good, and we just want to continue to keep progressing,” Lue said (Via Broderick Turner of Los Angeles Times).
The Clippers are in seventh place in the Western Conference, with 17 wins and 13 losses. Their upcoming game is against the Golden State Warriors at Intuit Dome.
