The Los Angeles Clippers continue to face challenges due to the unavailability of their star player, Kawhi Leonard. Shams Charania of The Athletic recently reported that the 33-year-old is expected to be sidelined for an indefinite period as the NBA season begins.
According to the reports, Leonard is rehabilitating the inflammation in his right knee. Following this news, several NBA analysts criticized the Clippers star, including Kendrick Perkins, who made a bold statement. Recently, Stephen A. Smith referred to Leonard as the “worst superstar in the history of any sport.”
“I can make a legitimate argument that Kawhi Leonard is the worst superstar in the history of any sport. You can’t have somebody like that and it’s beneficial, who’s gonna miss work half of the time and does absolutely nothing to promote your product or your brand.” Smith said on a recent episode of First Take.
Several fans commented on Smith’s bold take regarding Leonard in the comment section of The NBA Central post on X. One fan remarked, “The 2019 run alone invalidates this ngl.”
Meanwhile, another fan mentioned, “Chill, SAS. Kawhi clears Melo and it’s not even close.”
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Another fan explained, “Kawhi without injury is arguably a top 3 player every year.”
A sports enthusiast commented, “This is so unbelievably wrong man.”
Another fan mentioned, “He has 2 rings.”
Another fan commented, “Can SAS go one day without Kawhi’s d*** in his mouth.”
Another fan commented, “2 x champion. Not his fault his body ain’t cooperating.”
Smith’s Bold Perspective On Leonard’s Departure From Team USA In The 2024 Paris Olympics
Leonard has missed many games due to injuries, including a year-long absence during the 2021-22 season. Last season, the Klaw played only two games because of a right knee injury, which contributed to the Clippers’ early exit in the first-round series against the Dallas Mavericks.
Later in the offseason, Leonard joined the Team USA roster for the 2024 Paris Olympics. However, he was eventually replaced by Derrick White of the Boston Celtics to allow him to recover from his knee issue. As per Smith, some people in the camp blamed the Clippers for Leonard’s withdrawal from the team.
“He gets sent home, and then you have people in his camp, according to my sources … blame the Clippers… Because he wanted to make sure everybody knew he had nothing to do with it. And the Clippers had nothing to do with that. … And that’s just the end of it.” Smith said.
Smith’s bold statement is sure to attract the attention of NBA analysts, leading to various responses. It will be interesting to see how these individuals react—whether they come to Leonard’s defense or participate in a lively debate.
