Kawhi Anthony Leonard is an American basketball player known for his exceptional ball-hawking skills.
He currently plays for the Los Angeles Clippers in the NBA and has been a two-time NBA champion, a five-time All-Star, and a five-time member of the All-NBA Team.
Leonard is also a two-time NBA Finals MVP, having won the award in 2014 with the San Antonio Spurs and in 2019 with the Toronto Raptors.
Leonard was born on June 29, 1991, and grew up in Moreno Valley, California.
He attended Canyon Springs High School before transferring to Martin Luther King High School for his junior year.
It was during his senior year at King High that he, along with Tony Snell, led the Wolves to a 30-3 record.
Leonard’s impressive performance that year earned him the title of California Mr. Basketball.
Who is Kawhi Leonard? LA Clippers Star Kawhi Leonard Reportedly Suffers Torn Meniscus in Right Knee
According to a report by The Athletic’s Shams Charania, LA Clippers forward Kawhi Leonard has suffered a torn meniscus in his right knee.
The news comes after Leonard missed Games 3-5 of the Clippers’ first-round series against the Phoenix Suns due to a knee injury.
Unfortunately, the Suns ended up knocking the Clippers out of the playoffs in Game 5 with a 136-130 win.
Leonard was initially ruled out for Game 5 due to a sprained right knee, which is the same injury that has kept teammate Paul George out of action since March 21.
Leonard sustained the injury during Game 1 and continued to play through the discomfort in Game 2, but it appears that his condition had deteriorated significantly since then.
It’s worth noting that Leonard had to sit out the entirety of last season while recovering from a torn right ACL.
His return to action this season was a much-anticipated one, and the forward didn’t disappoint, averaging 34.5 points, 6.5 rebounds, and six assists per game in the first two games of the series against the Suns.
At 31 years old, Leonard’s future in the league is a matter of concern, as this latest setback could put his availability for the upcoming season in doubt.
The Clippers, on the other hand, will have to regroup and find a way to compete without their star player as they look to build on their playoff success from the past two seasons.