Whatever tension that may have once existed between Kawhi Leonard and Gregg Popovich seems to have been settled, as the Clippers forward announced he is eager to join his former coach on Team USA at the Tokyo Olympics this summer.
Originally scheduled to begin in July 2020, officials postponed the Tokyo Olympics due to the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic. While Leonard had previously expressed his optimism at participating in the games last year, it was unclear if he still felt eager to play given the Olympics' proximity to the scheduled end of the NBA playoffs.
Leonard answered that question pretty clearly on Sunday:
“My plan is to go,” Leonard said, according to Tim Reynolds of The Associated Press. “If I feel up to it and feel ready to go around that time, then I’m going to play.”
Should Kawhi ultimately join Popovich in Tokyo, it would represent a bookend to one of the stranger breakups in NBA history. Having played under Popovich for seven years in San Antonio, Leonard transformed himself from a mid-first-round draft pick into a Finals MVP. With Tim Duncan on the precipice of retirement, many assumed Kawhi would take his place as the franchise leader for years to come.
Unfortunately for the Spurs and their fans, things didn't quite pan out that way.
Following a disagreement between Leonard's doctors and the team's medical staff over his ability to play while recovering from a right quad injury, trust between the two camps severed. While Popovich was said to have personally implored Leonard to return to the team, Kawhi ultimately demanded a trade, which he received to the Toronto Raptors.
Though both sides still refuse to discuss the matter in any depth almost three years later, Leonard's willingness to partner with his former coach once again is an indication that the ice may be thawing. As long as Kawhi's health holds up, we should see a reunion in Tokyo.
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