Kawhi Leonard will forever be remembered for helping the San Antonio Spurs win a title and also serving as the main catalyst to bringing the Toronto Raptors their first-ever championship. But ever since leaving the 6ix for the Los Angeles Clippers, things haven't exactly gone to plan. He's dealt with a plethora of injuries, which has led to the star duo of him and Paul George failing to live up to expectations.
While it was very evident what Leonard can still do in the playoffs last season before his knee injury, The Logo himself, Jerry West, believes Kawhi is in fact one of the more underrated players in the game now because of how much time he's missed due to health issues.
“People forget, because he’s been injured so much, how great Kawhi Leonard really is. This guy’s a man on both ends of the court. He had it going really well again last year but he had missed so many games with injuries that people forget about him.”
“People forget, because he’s been injured so much, how great Kawhi Leonard really is. This guy’s a man on both ends of the court.”
Jerry West says that Kawhi Leonard has become one of the most underrated players in the league 🧐
(via @RichEisenShow)pic.twitter.com/YRjDfJtnjT
— ClutchPoints (@ClutchPoints) August 5, 2023
West went on to explain that Los Angeles must be considered a contender if PG and Kawhi stay healthy because they're both elite two-way players. Not many teams have that. Absolutely true, but it remains to be seen if the veterans can stay off the shelf.
Kawhi Leonard showed that he hasn't missed a beat against the Phoenix Suns in that first round series, averaging 34.5 points, 6.5 rebounds, and 6.0 assists in the two games he played prior to aggravating his knee. The Clippers honestly had a legitimate shot at winning that series if he and George were on the floor together.
Whether Kawhi is underrated or not, he couldn't care less. The two-time champ just wants to ball out and do his thing. The outside noise doesn't matter to him.
West certainly has a point, though.
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