Kawhi Leonard, superstar basketball player for the Los Angeles Clippers, has been making headlines recently due to his knee injury and some troubling family news. Leonard has been out of commission for the last two games of the playoffs due to a right knee sprain (Sports Illustrated). The injury was sustained during Game 1 of the Clippers’ first-round series against the Phoenix Suns. According to the latest reports however, the injury is now being referred to as a torn meniscus (Fox News, The Athletic, ESPN). It is unclear at this time when Leonard will be able to return to playing.
Additionally, Leonard’s sister Kimesha Williams has been in the news as she was recently sentenced to life in prison without parole for the 2019 killing of an elderly woman (Fox News). This news came out on the same day that ESPN personality Stephen A. Smith criticized Leonard, calling him the “worst superstar you could possibly have on your team” (Sports Illustrated). Smith’s criticism was not well-received by fans, especially given the context of the difficult family news that Leonard was dealing with.
Despite these recent controversies, Kawhi Leonard remains one of the best players in the league when healthy. He was a key part of the Clippers’ success this season and their playoff run is in jeopardy without him on the court (CBS Sports). Fans are eagerly awaiting updates on Leonard’s injury and hoping for a speedy recovery so that he can return to playing in top form.
