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Stephen A. Smith Slams Clippers’ Kawhi Leonard, Calls Him ‘Worst Superstar Ever’


As the new NBA season gets going, the Los Angeles Clippers are dealing with a similar issue that they’ve had in the past. Star forward Kawhi Leonard is dealing with a knee injury and will be sidelined for an indefinite amount of time.

Leonard being out has caused the Clippers to underperform over the years and it’s not a great start for the new year. Los Angeles lost forward Paul George in free agency this summer so Leonard’s responsibility only increased.

Leonard has missed a significant amount of time due to injury and the Clippers have tried to get through it but to no avail. When healthy, Leonard is one of the best players in the league but his lack of availability is extremely problematic.

It has become a common occurrence and he has now been called out by members of the media. NBA personality Stephen A. Smith of ESPN slammed Leonard for his lack of availability, calling him the “worst superstar ever”.

“I can make a legitimate argument that Kawhi Leonard is the worst superstar in the history of any sport,” Smith said, slowly increasing his volume. “You can’t have somebody like that and it’s beneficial, who’s gonna miss work half of the time and does absolutely nothing to promote your product or your brand.

PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA – MARCH 27: Kawhi Leonard #2 of the LA Clippers dribbles during the first quarter against the Philadelphia 76ers at the Wells Fargo Center on March 27, 2024 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Leonard has…


Photo by Tim Nwachukwu/Getty Images

The words by Smith may be a little harsh considering that Leonard can’t control when he gets hurt. But his numerous injuries have caused all sorts of problems for the Clippers.

Since joining the team in 2019, injuries have derailed his career. He tore his ACL during the 2021 playoffs which caused him to miss the following season.

Leonard then played in 52 games for the team during the 2022-23 year but tore his right meniscus in the first-round loss playoff to the Phoenix Suns.

To his credit, Leonard played in 68 games last season for the Clippers but missed four of the team’s six playoff games. He averaged 23.7 points, 6.1 boards, 3.6 dimes, and 1.6 steals a night but when the team needed him most, he wasn’t available.

Los Angeles has built their roster around him which has held them back time after time.

They can’t rely on him to be healthy so others will need to step up more so. If he isn’t able to come back from this injury and stay on the court, changes will need to be made.

For all the latest Clippers news, stay tuned to Newsweek Sports.



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