Clippers’ Kawhi Leonard Opens up on His Plans For 2021 Tokyo Olympics

Published 03/08/2021, 10:01 AM EST

Kawhi Leonard is one of the best players in the NBA. The former Defensive Player of the Year has risen to superstardom in the last decade and is one of the league’s most recognized faces now. While Leonard faced a tough time adjusting to the Clippers set up last season, he has had an excellent 2020-21 season.

However, like every star player, Leonard is already looking towards the post-season, specifically the 2021 Olympics.

Kawhi Leonard ready for the Olympics

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Kawhi Leonard spoke to the press for the 2021 All-Star game and revealed that he plans to take part in the 2021 Olympic games. Leonard noted that most players were ready to play last year. However, due to the pandemic, the plans got scrapped. He also noted how there is very little excitement among NBA players due to the lack of direct interaction and COVID-19 constraints.

“I think a lot of people were in for 2020. But the Pandemic just pretty much killed everything. Right now, my plan is to go. It really doesn’t matter the success. If I’m feeling up to it around that time, then I’m going to play. There’s no people around, there’s no entertainment. Look what we’re doing now, we’re doing a zoom call. There’s no excitement off the floor.”

Stats Prove Kawhi Leonard-led Clippers Struggling in Clutch Moments Despite Winning Games

Leonard will be a massive boost for Team USA at the Olympics. In the last few years, top NBA players have been hesitant to spend their off-season helping Team USA retain their Olympic dominance. However, given how deep the NBA is, they are always able to find strong players to be able to take part in the Olympic games and dominate the sport of basketball on a global stage.

‘The Klaw’ looking for his third NBA championship

Currently, Leonard and the Clippers are considered one of the favorites to win the NBA championship. Given Leonard’s numbers, that is a fair evaluation.

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However, they will have a tough challenge both from the East and the West. The Utah Jazz and LA Lakers are still considered strong favorites to make the Western Conference Finals this year, and the Nets and 76ers are the same in the Eastern Conference.

Kawhi Leonard Updates His List of Demand from Clippers Ahead of the Remaining Season

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Can Kawhi Leonard lead the Clippers to the NBA championship? Leonard is referred to by many as the ‘Dynasty Breaker’. He defeated LeBron James and the Miami Heat in their last appearance in the NBA Finals. And then in 2019, he defeated the Golden State Warriors, which effectively halted the dynasty in their tracks. Can he stop another dynasty before its inception?

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Aaditya Krishnamurthy is an NBA & NFL journalist for EssentiallySports, before which he worked at BusinessWorld magazine. He has been a fan of Basketball for over 10 years now, since Shaquille O’Neal was a Phoenix Suns player. During his time at Symbiosis School for Liberal Arts, he started a sports magazine for the college called the Overtime Tribune and hosted the Overtime Tribune Podcast until he graduated.

Clippers’ Kawhi Leonard Opens up on His Plans For 2021 Tokyo Olympics

Kawhi Leonard ready for the Olympics

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