Getty Kawhi Leonard is defended by Joel Embiid.
Whether you love him or hate him, Stephen A. Smith often elicits a response with his takes. Speaking about Los Angeles Clippers superstar Kawhi Leonard on ESPN’s “First Take” on May 30, Smith made the statement, “I can make a case this is the worst superstar in the history of sports. He is a nightmare.”
.@stephenasmith goes off on Kawhi Leonard 😯
“This is not a conversation about his ability when healthy. … I can make a case this is the worst superstar in the history of sports. He is a nightmare.”
On top of the Leonard slander, co-host Jay Williams suggested that Paul George should leave the Clippers if he wants to win a championship:
“If I were Paul George, I would be looking at that [Sixers] situation… I love Kawhi, but if you’re not available, what position does that put me in if I want to win championships?”
Kawhi Leonard’s Impact on His Team
Superstars come in all shapes and sizes, some excel in the regular season but can’t quite get over the championship hump, while others may peak in the postseason. Leonard is the rare breed that has performed well in both.
Accolades don’t tell the whole story, but it’s worth looking at what Leonard has accomplished since entering the NBA in 2011-12.
- 6-time NBA All-Star
- 6-time All-NBA
- 7-time All-Defensive
- 2-time NBA Champion
- 2-time NBA Finals MVP
- 2-time NBA Defensive Player of the Year
It’s an impressive list of a combination of regular season and postseason awards, to be sure, but a deeper look reveals just how rare those accomplishments are. The list of players who can match having two Finals MVPs and two Defensive Player of the Year awards is quite short, as it’s Leonard and Hakeem Olajuwon, that’s it.
His raw numbers are fantastic as well, with career regular season averages of 20 points, 6.4 rebounds, 3.0 assists and 1.7 steals with a shooting line of .499/.391/.862. In the playoffs, those numbers ascend to 21.3 points, 7.8 rebounds, 2.9 assists and 1.8 steals with a shooting line of .511/.399/.844.
For those keeping score, that’s a sustained history of regular season and postseason success, both on a personal and a team level.
The Best Ability Is Availability
While Smith’s claim that a two-time NBA champion is somehow the “worst superstar in the history of sports” is unfair, there is one very notable aspect of Leonard’s game that has been missing, but it’s a relatively new phenomenon.
Between the first round of the 2012 Western Conference playoffs through the first round of the 2021 Western Conference playoffs (24 series), Leonard played in 131 of a possible 140 games. He missed four in the 2017 NBA Playoffs, including an injury that changed how fouls were called in the NBA, and five in the 2018 NBA Playoffs due to a sprained ankle.
Over the Clippers’ last three playoff series — all of which saw them get eliminated — Leonard played in only eight of a possible 17 games. Claiming that Leonard’s body is breaking down might have some merit, but that doesn’t erase what he’s already accomplished.
For those still scoring at home, that’s a sustained history of postseason availability, a fluke (some would say dirty) injury, and then a decline in health as Leonard reached his 30s. Not exactly unusual.
Face of Load Management
It would be irresponsible to not look at Leonard’s regular season availability, as he’s played more than 68 games just twice and more famously, was the impetus of the NBA’s load management policy that was announced before the 2023-24 season.
Leonard hasn’t shied away from the criticism, noting that, “When I was with the Raptors, it was different. I was coming off an injury… If the NBA is trying to mock that, then they should stop. Other than that, if I’m able to play, I’ll play basketball.”
As a whole, implying Leonard is somehow the worst superstar of anything is just inflammatory and irresponsible. Yes, he’s missed regular season games, but it didn’t materially affect his team. For the vast majority of his career, he’s been there (and performed) when his team needed him.
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Kawhi Leonard Blasted by Stephen A. Smith Amid Clippers Speculation