Kawhi Leonard 's injury history has been a topic of discussion for quite some time now. Although the two-time NBA Finals MVP has established himself as one of the best two-way players of all time, his unavailability in the most crucial games always bites his team's ass.
You don't have to look too far to prove this, as "The Claw" was limited to playing in only two games in the 2024 NBA Playoffs due to a knee injury he suffered late in the regular season. That knee injury forced him to the sidelines for the Clippers' last eight regular season games and Game 1 of their first-round series against the Dallas Mavericks.
Kawhi's All-Star teammate, Paul George, was recently reminded of this when he appeared on NBA Countdown when co-host Stephen A. Smith blurted out, "Nobody on this planet knows what it's like to play without a star like Paul George."
Troubles with injuries
PG-13 may have smiled and laughed when Stephen A. made that comment. Still, on the latest episode of his podcast, he admitted not liking that specific moment, saying it struck a nerve with him.
"I didn't like that moment just because of... like, he's like... and I rock with Stephen A, obviously, but just like, let it go, you know what I mean? Just let it go," the nine-time All-Star exclaimed .
Kawhi's injury history has been dissected from here to eternity. Although he played in 68 games this past season, he played 161 matches in his first four seasons for the Clippers. PG defended the two-time Defensive Player of the Year from Smith's critique, saying injuries are out of his teammate's control.
"It's not that Kawhi doesn't want to play. I will keep beating that over the head until I'm out of breath. He wants to play. He keeps making it seem like Kawhi doesn't want to play, or he doesn't want to be there," PG shared.
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Kawhi gave his all this season
PG added that Leonard was determined to redeem himself after playing only two games in the 2023 NBA Playoffs due to an injured knee. The 6'7" wingman out of San Diego State was on track to play more than 70 games, averaging 23.7 points, 6.1 rebounds, and 3.6 assists when a right knee inflammation ended his regular season stint prematurely.
"I think we rode Kawhi a lot this year to the point of like, 'Hey, there's only so much my body can take right now.' We exhausted a lot out of Kawhi this season. At some point, your body breaks down, and that's just the case there," PG claimed.
The former Fresno State ace, though, emphasized he didn't want to reach harshly during that moment as he understood the comment was made lightheartedly. However, he knew he had to stand up for his longtime teammate.
"I didn't appreciate that moment. I know I laughed because, you know, what else are you supposed to do? The situation was light-hearted, but deep down, it was just like, 'Man, you gotta let that go, Stephen A,'" George added.
Despite being one of the top players in the league, Kawhi has faced criticism and doubts surrounding his durability and ability to play through injuries. Until he shows an ability to shrug off minor aches and pains and power through injuries, these critiques will follow him until the end of his career.
Related: Stephen A. Smith calls Kawhi Leonard the worst superstar in sports: "He makes no effort to promote the NBA brand"
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