Okay, let’s rewind a bit. Kawhi Leonard recently spoke with the media after he and Paul George were introduced by the Clippers at the Green Meadows Recreation Center on Wednesday.
The media, of course, asked Kawhi Leonard about his decision of joining the Clippers and what contributed to him turning down the deal that would’ve got him wearing purple and gold. The 28-year-old explained that he did consider signing with the Lakers at some point and told sports journalists that the team came close in landing him during free agency.
Kawhi Leonard calls out the media
Kawhi Leonard also said that he didn’t lead the Lakers, or the Raptors, on as he was merely taking his time to ensure that he’s going to make the best decision for himself and his family. He then called out the media for creating the narrative that he prefers the Lakers over the Clippers.
“Y’all kept saying that me and Paul’s favorite team growing up was the Lakers. I’m not going to say [Yahoo Sports], but whatever media outlet was out there saying that Kawhi prefers the Lakers over the Clippers, or Paul loves the Lakers, was wrong,” Kawhi Leonard said.
Kawhi Leonard and the arduous journey towards the Playoffs
The newly-minted Finals MVP clarified that him not being a Lakers fan wasn’t the reason why he didn’t sign with the team. It’s still unclear, however, why he chose the Clippers. But it appears that Kawhi Leonard wants to bring a title to the franchise similar to what he did with the Toronto Raptors.
And with Paul Geroge and the supporting cast of the Clippers at his side, that dream isn’t too far off. Of course, a journey such as this one wouldn’t be possible without bumping heads with heavy competitions. And competition is heavy indeed. While George and Kawhi Leonard are one of the best duo ever paired in NBA history, the current landscape is chock full of such team-ups.
LeBron James and Anthony Davis. James Harden and Russell Westbrook. Luka Doncic and Kristaps Porzingis are just some of the example. And that’s not counting the brewing powers in the east where the Celtics, Sixers, Bucks, and few other teams are also gearing up for war. But knowing Kawhi Leonard, he’ll undoubtedly ignore all of the noise and speculations and focus on his game with the Clippers. With such juggernauts expected to collide in the 2019-2020 season, there’s no wonder that basketball fans around the world are excited how all of these is going to go down.
