Kawhi Leonard has been a topic of concern in the NBA of late. Despite his obvious talent and abilities, it is his patchy injury records that have built on the frustration among fanbases and franchises. The injury streak that began during his time with the Spurs has followed the small forward into his run with the Los Angeles Clippers. This has led Kawhi to play over 60 games just once in his 5 seasons with the team. However, the 2023-24 season has proven different.

Kawhi Leonard has remained fit for the majority of the season, playing 68 regular season games. Furthermore, he has averaged 23.7 points, 6.1 rebounds, and 3.6 assists per game in the run. As a result, the 32-year-old found himself on Team USA’s roster for the 2024 Paris Olympics. But the decision doesn’t seem to sit right with a few fans and analysts, including ESPN’s Stephen A. Smith.

In a recent episode of the Stephen A. Smith Show, the 56-year-old asserted his belief that Kawhi Leonard shouldn’t be on the plane to Paris. He further insinuated that Clippers’ owner Steve Ballmer should use his influence to get Leonard off the roster. He said, “There is no way in hell that Kawhi Leonard should be on this team. If I was Steve Ballmer, I would use my considerable muscle to manipulate whatever I could to make sure he (Kawhi) does not represent the United States of America.”

Stephen A. Smith reasoned with his viewpoints further in the segment, revealing, “It’s nothing personal. It’s that he’s not healthy.” Currently, Kawhi remains out injured due to inflammation in right knee. The instance further stands to pose a threat to his availability for Game 1 of the Clippers’ first-round matchup against the Mavs in the playoffs.

Would Kawhi Leonard’s fitness impact Team USA’s hopes of an Olympic gold?

No. It’s as simple as that. Though Kawhi Leonard holds a crucial stance for the team, the star-studded roster can cover him in case of injuries. “We shown in years past that we’ve had to make changes and we do have time in the event that something unforeseen were to happen, that we have a contingency plan and we have that at every position,” Grant Hill remarked on the possibility according to USA Today. Superstars like LeBron James, Stephen Curry, Kevin Durant, Jayson Tatum, Anthony Davis, Joel Embiid, Anthony Edwards, Devin Booker and more make Team USA’s 12-man roster for the 2024 Olympics.

Following a dismal 2023 FIBA World Cup showing in which they finished fourth, Team USA have deliberately called on their superstars in order to regain international supremacy. The roster for the 2024 Paris Olympics is already being labeled as, “Redeem Team 2.0.” 

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Team USA have been drawn into a challenging group, consisting of Serbia, South Sudan, and the winner of the Olympic Qualifying Tournament (OQT) Puerto Rico, which features Puerto Rico, Italy, and Bahrain. They would start their Olympic campaign against Nikola Jokić-led Serbia on 28th July. Could Team USA clinch their fifth consecutive gold medal at the 2024 Paris Olympics with this star-studded roster?