The usually exuberant Stephen A. Smith carried a more straightforward tone on ESPN's First Take on Monday morning. He apologized to Kawhi Leonard for criticisms he now deems inappropriate given new context on the Los Angeles Clippers star's family.

Smith argued that Leonard is one of the worst superstars in NBA history last Friday due to his constant injury problems and marketability deficiencies. This came after Leonard missed Game 3 of the Clippers' NBA playoffs series versus the Phoenix Suns with a right-knee sprain. He missed Game 4 as well. This followed a regular season rife with load management that resulted in just 52 games played.

However, news later broke that the two-time NBA Finals MVP's sister, Kimesha Williams, was convicted of murdering an elderly woman and ultimately sentenced to life in prison. The amount of distress and shame that is presumably impacting the entire family overshadowed any basketball conjecture. Smith upon learning of the details, via ClutchPoints.

“I said some things last week about Kawhi Leonard as a superstar. I meant every word of it. Having said all that, I said it unaware of some of the personal things his family has gotten into. I had no knowledge of that at the time,” the prominent ESPN personality said.

Kawhi Leonard is an enigma when it comes to communicating his feelings, which was one of Smith's points in his critique of him. But no one can question his silence on family matters. The Clippers announced that Leonard is out for Tuesday's Game 5. And Chris Haynes had previously reported that there was no timetable for a return. Los Angeles heads to Phoenix on the brink of elimination, down three games to one. If the Clippers avoid elimination from the NBA playoffs, it seems unlikely Leonard would be available for Thursday's Game 6.