LAS VEGAS — Just when it appeared the stars were in alignment for Kawhi Leonard to finally be an Olympian, things again went awry.
The Los Angeles Clippers’ star pulled out of USA Basketball’s training camp Wednesday, hours before the Americans were scheduled to face Canada at T-Mobile Arena in their first Olympic tuneup.
In a statement released by USA Basketball, it said: “Kawhi has been ramping up for the Olympics over the past several weeks and had a few strong practices in Las Vegas. He felt ready to compete.
“However, he respects that USA Basketball and the Clippers determined it's in his best interest to spend the remainder of the summer preparing for the upcoming season rather than participating in the Olympic Games in Paris."
Derrick White of the Boston Celtics will replace Leonard on Team USA’s roster.
Injuries had derailed the 33-year-old from Riverside’s previous attempts to play for his country on the world’s biggest stage in 2016 and 2021. And it was still somewhat iffy whether Leonard would make it for this go-round. Ultimately, it was determined his right knee has not gotten strong enough for him to allow him to play the way he and the team would want him to.
Leonard’s knee issues have been well documented over the years. He has missed a total of 256 games in his NBA career due to injury. He was sidelined for 12 of the Clippers’ last 14 games this season and played in 68 of the team’s 82 games in 2023-24.
Coach Steve Kerr said earlier in Team USA’s Las Vegas training camp that he was still trying to figure out exactly what role Leonard would have had. Leonard said Tuesday he was feeling good and would accept whatever role was given him.
"Everything's been good so far,” he said Tuesday. “(The knee has) been at a neutral state, and I hope it stays that way." Clippers coach Tyronn Lue, an assistant coach with Team USA, told ESPN on Tuesday, "He's been good, the best I've seen him move since he got injured. Moving really good. It's good to see him healthy and trending in the right direction."
Leonard’s presence on Team USA was perceived as a bright light in what has been a dim summer for Clippers fans. There was the death of one-time Clippers player and broadcaster Bill Walton. Then the recent decision by Paul George to leave L.A. for Philadelphia earlier this month stung. Now Leonard’s withdrawal from the Olympics has to make the fanbase wonder if there really is a “Clippers Curse.”
The team is preparing to move into its swank new arena, the $2 billion Intuit Dome. Leonard will be part of that. Perhaps he is 100 percent healthy by then, But as he is now on the downside of his career at age 33, you have to wonder how effective can he still be, especially without George to be his running partner. Can he shoulder more of the load?
But obviously the Clippers felt it was more important for Leonard to be ready for October than play in the Olympics.
I’m sure it’s a crushing blow for Leonard, who appeared to be a popular figure among his USA Basketball teammates. Several said he was considered the funniest player on the team and he told the media Tuesday in his brief availability at UNLV’s Mendenhall Center that he was enjoying the experience so far.
All that ends now. Leonard, who in January signed a three-year extension with the Clippers worth a reported $152 million can go back to seclusion to prepare for what will be his 13th NBA season and Team USA will try to win gold in Paris without him.
On the bright side, he did get to meet Vice President Kamala Harris on Tuesday when she stopped by practice during a campaign stop in Las Vegas to visit with the team.
Still, this has to be difficult for Leonard, who was looking forward to playing in the Olympics and this was likely his last chance. He will be 37 when the next Games roll around in 2028 in Los Angeles and he may very well be retired at that point. Perhaps it just was never meant to be for Leonard to be an Olympian.
