The recent Los Angeles wildfires have had a significant impact on NBA personalities, including Los Angeles Clippers star forward Kawhi Leonard. The devastating fires forced Leonard’s family to evacuate their home in the Pacific Palisades.
For the crisis, Leonard departed from his team in the middle of a road trip to support his family. This included sitting out a game against the Denver Nuggets as he focused on ensuring his family’s safety during the evacuation.
During a recent media interaction, Leonard was asked about the condition of his home, his family’s well-being, and whether his neighbors were safe following the wildfires. His response was brief and solemn.
“As we know, everybody is not okay. You’ve seen the houses burned down, so it’s self-explanatory,” Leonard said.
Reporter: “You live within that area that's affected by the Palisades fire. Is your house okay? Is everybody [ok], are your neighbors [ok]?”
— ClutchPoints (@ClutchPoints) January 14, 2025
Kawhi Leonard: “As we know, everybody is not okay. You've seen the houses burned down so it's self explanatory.”
(via @TomerAzarly) pic.twitter.com/vCjq9rtFNm
While his response conveyed the gravity of the situation, it did not sit well with some NBA fans. Critics labeled his reply as detached. Many fans also suggested that it lacked the empathy they expected from a public figure during such a catastrophic event.
Yo kawhi, you didn’t have to anwser like this
— Acey GNX 🎶🔥 (@aceyflamez) January 14, 2025
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Kawhi gotta be the most funniest nonchalant guy out there 🤣🤣🤣🤣
— Sun7ife (@Sun7ife1) January 14, 2025
Kawhi is an asshole
— Dick Bayless Official (@RealDickBayless) January 14, 2025
So rude
— Jason 🇵🇸 (@zachmorris88) January 14, 2025
What an asshole. She was asking about physical health. Obviously.
— David Lamb (@David_Lamb_1) January 14, 2025
Fucking piece of shit.
James Harden Addresses Kawhi Leonard’s Return
Before the wildfires, Kawhi Leonard returned on the court against the Atlanta Hawks after his recovery from a knee injury. Teammate James Harden shared his thoughts on Leonard’s return, sharing the need for patience as Leonard regains his rhythm.
“It’s great. Obviously, he’s just working his way into conditioning-wise, playing-wise, floater game, all of the above. He hasn’t had a training camp, pre-season, none of that. So I think for us, it’s just trying to make his job a lot easier. For us, it’s just continue to do what we’ve been doing and then slowly incorporating him into what we’re doing,” Leonard said.
Leonard’s return not only boosts the Clippers’ lineup but also offers hope for a strong season ahead. So far, Leonard has appeared in three games this season, averaging 8.7 points, 3.3 rebounds, and 1.3 assists per game.
