It seems to be as if Clippers star Kawhi Leonard could not ever get to play within the Olympics after he withdrew from Staff USA and Stephen A. Smith referred to as it.
Earlier than Kawhi withdrew, Smith was questioning why he was even on Staff USA to begin with, given his regarding harm historical past.
“I don’t suppose I’ve ever been extra pissed off at a dude sporting Staff USA uniform,” Smith mentioned The OG’s podcast. “Keep in mind how excited he was once they got here to him and Grant Hill and them put him on Staff USA? Are you aware what number of video games you’ve missed?
“To be speaking about enjoying in the summertime, you may get damage from the flight to Paris. I’m not letting you play. If I’m Steve Ballmer, I’ll use each means at my disposal to verify this man ain’t on Staff USA. For one cause and one cause solely, I don’t belief that you just’re going to depart wholesome.
“I promise you, you inform me proper now, if I mentioned to you, if I mentioned you UD, M&M you bought to guess me your verify that this man going to play this summer time and he going to be wholesome for the season. None of y’all are taking that guess.”
Leonard performed in simply two 2023-24 postseason video games for LAC on account of knee irritation.
In an announcement launched Wednesday, USA Basketball implied that Leonard’s determination was influenced by the Clippers and Staff USA officers watching Kawhi in camp over the previous few days, however talked about nothing about harm.
“Kawhi has been ramping up for the Olympics during the last a number of weeks and had a number of robust practices in Las Vegas. He felt able to compete,” USA Basketball mentioned. “Nonetheless, he respects that USA Basketball and the Clippers decided it’s in his greatest curiosity to spend the rest of the summer time getting ready for the upcoming season reasonably than collaborating within the Olympic Video games in Paris.”
Current Boston champion Derrick White will exchange Kawhi on the staff.
READ MORE: Dillon Brooks Is Again to Poking Bears Forward of Staff USA v Canada
