'HE FELT READY'
Fans spot moment Kawhi Leonard ‘knew he was leaving’ USA Olympics team before being replaced by NBA Finals champion
The two-time NBA champ has struggled for fitness in recent seasons
NBA star Kawhi Leonard has withdrawn from Team USA on the eve of the Paris Games.
The Los Angeles Clippers forward had been due to play in his first Olympics later this month.
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Leonard has suffered from persistent injury issues throughout his career.
He missed 12 of the Clippers’ final 14 games of last season with right knee inflammation.
The 33-year-old joined Team USA for their training camp in Las Vegas earlier this week.
But his Olympic dream has now ended as the Clippers look to manage his workload over the offseason.
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"Kawhi has been ramping up for the Olympics over the past several weeks and had a few strong practices in Las Vegas," USA Basketball said in a statement, via the Guardian.
"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 [NBA] season rather than participating in the Olympic Games in Paris."
"This is the least surprising news ever. It would be more shocking if he actually stayed on," replied one fan on X.
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"Took the Team USA picture and got up out of there lmao..," joked another.
"Either he’s cooked or he’s actually healthy and the Clippers don't wanna risk it," commented a third.
'He is a nightmare', Stephen A. Smith goes on two-minute rant over NBA's Kawhi Leonard and says 'worst superstar ever'
"Load managing the Olympics is crazy," laughed a fourth.
Many fans predicated Leonard's departure based off a video of the Clippers star alongside LeBron James, Kevin Durant and Steph Curry.
Leonard looked far from happy alongside the NBA legends.
"He knew he was leaving," one fan said.
"He limped off the bus couple of days ago, they can’t keep him like that," another fan added.
Derrick White has been called up to replace Leonard, per NBA Insider Adam Himmelsbach.
The Celtics star was part of the Boston team which ended their 16-year NBA title drought last season.
Team USA is looking to win a fifth-straight gold medal in Paris.
Durant, another injury worry in the camp, will not play in a warm-up against Canada tonight due to a calf strain.
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James, Curry, and Anthony Davis are all members of the strong team coached by Steve Kerr.
Leonard will now return to rehabbing as he looks ahead to his 13th season in the NBA.
The two-time champion has not played over 60 games in a regular campaign since 2017.
He missed the entire 2021-22 season after tearing his ACL and the Clippers appear to be protecting their fragile asset.
"I can't lay out the perfect script for me," a frustrated Leonard said last week, via ESPN.
"Last year, I tried to play as much as possible, felt great.
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"And at a certain period of time I couldn't go. I tried the best that I could, but it's just my journey.
"I don't want to be in a situation that I do be in, but I got to take it for what it is. "