![]() "I'm not a guy that's sitting down because I'm doing load management - well, when I was with the Raptors, it was different like, I was coming an injury," he told reporters at his press conference. In short, teams must now ensure that only a single star player sits out of any given game - rather than having multiple usual starters sitting on the sidelines. When one sought a response to the new player participation policy, he replied: "What are they?" Inevitably, reporters asked Leonard about injuries during media day. READ MORE: NBA plan radical rule change to directly impact playing time of each team's stars He comes into this season after tearing the meniscus in his right knee during the postseason, the same joint he tore the ACL in during the 2021 playoffs. ![]() Seeing the two-time NBA champion in street clothes on the sidelines has become common since signing with the Clippers.Īlbeit, the five-time All-Star selection would attest to having more than his fair share of significant injuries during his career. Leonard, 32, is the face of load management across the league after popularizing the regimen that dates back to his departure from the Toronto Raptors. "We want him to know that the second biggest fan base of the Toronto Raptors are in Riverside ," Jeff Dietz, a member of the coaching staff during Leonard's tenure, told CBC's Kim Brunhuber.Los Angeles Clippers star Kawhi Leonard had to have the new NBA player participation policy explained to him after asking what the rules changes were at his media day press conference. His high school alma mater just outside of Los Angeles is vocal in its support for Leonard despite its location in the Golden State. Wong described Leonard as a homebody in his youth with close relationships with his mother and four sisters. "Basketball is the place for him to get away from everything else that is on his mind. ![]() "I don't want to speak for him, just because that was such a personal experience for him, but I think by all accounts, whatever happened in high school and the things that he had to deal with made him gravitate toward basketball more," Wong said. Today on Front Burner, freelance sports writer Alex Wong helps us understand the man behind the calm exterior and shares his thoughts on whether Leonard will stay in the North when this historic series ends. It's an exciting time for fans of Raptors superstar Kawhi Leonard. ![]() Stoic façades and finely honed basketball fundamentals are hallmarks of the Spurs organization - even to the point of parody - and Leonard appeared to be the heir to Tim Duncan's monotone throne.įront Burner 25:21 Why Kawhi Leonard is more than just a stoic NBA superstar Featured VideoThe Toronto Raptors face the Golden State Warriors for game three of the NBA Finals tonight. Leonard was named NBA Finals MVP in 2014 for shutting down LeBron James and the Miami Heat, and he earned a pair of Defensive Player of the Year awards and a selection to the all-NBA first team. Before that, he was well on his way to elite status in the NBA. Leonard played just nine games last season as a member of the San Antonio Spurs due to a prolonged recovery from a right leg injury. The four rim bounces on that last shot may have endeared a wider Canadian audience to the team and Leonard, but what's at risk of being overlooked is the lifetime of effort that preceded it. Duration 1:24 Featured VideoKawhi Leonard poured in 41 points, including a dramatic game-winner as the Toronto Raptors beat the Philadelphia 76ers 92-90 to advance to the Eastern Conference Finals. ![]()
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