Kawhi Leonard was initially named among coach Steve Kerr's 12 men unit gearing up for the 2024 Paris Olympics. The Los Angeles Clippers superstar was expected to be the defensive anchor for the group. However, the dream was shattered when Leonard returned to the Clippers in hopes of focusing on recovery from his knee injury.
Over the years, 'The Klaw' has faced criticism for his injury-ridden career. As a result, the Clips veteran's Team USA exit became a huge talking point for the NBA community. While many berated Leonard for backing out of national duty, Clippers general manager Lawrence Frank revealed the 33-year-old was forced to exit Team USA.
"It was USAB's call, and I was, quite frankly, very disappointed with the decision," Frank said. "Kawhi wanted to play. We wanted him to play."
Clippers GM addresses Leonard's practices with Team USA
Before withdrawing, Kawhi participated in two practice sessions with the USA men's basketball team. Frank attended his star player's first two practices with the squad. However, Lawrence was absent from Leonard's third practice in Team USA gear. The Clippers GM shared his views on the matter with the reporters.
"I was there the first two practices. He looked very good, and was a full participant in everything that they did. I wasn't there for the third practice, where ultimately, that was the point where they decided to go in a different direction. I expressed then, I really wished that they would have given Kawhi more time," he added.
Leonard is currently recovering from a knee injury he suffered during the 2024 playoffs. Considering the two-time NBA Finals MVP was sidelined after just two games, it was undoubtedly a serious injury. Despite that, Frank expected USAB to allow the 6x NBA All-Star more time to recover before the 2024 Olympics.
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Hill comments on Leonard's unfortunate Team USA exit
Grant Hill currently serves as the managing director for the USA men's basketball team. The former NBA star made the call about 'The Klaw's' early exit from Team USA. While many have criticized his decision, Hill recently explained the thought process behind it .
"I know he's had some struggles with injuries and that has played out for us to see over the last few years. Maybe I felt a kinship of sorts because I had struggled with injuries. So there's some empathy for a guy who was a great player who's gone through some challenges," G-Hill shared .
At the end of the day, Leonard may benefit from sitting out the Olympics in the long run. After all, the Clippers cannot afford an unfit Kawhi entering the 2024-25 NBA season. Despite various talented names still available in the pool, Boston Celtics guard Derrick White has been picked as Leonard's replacement for the Olympics.
Related: "You are repeatedly unavailable for the people who pay you" - Stephen A. Smith goes off on Kawhi Leonard for trying to play for Team USA
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