It has become a suspect game between Team USA and the Clippers when it comes to Kawhi Leonard withdrawing from the Olympics.
Los Angeles Clippers president of basketball operations Lawrence Frank says that despite the statement issued by Team USA, LAC had no role in the decision to withdraw Kawhi from his first Olympics.
“It was a USAB call, and, frankly, I'm very disappointed with the decision,” Frank told reporters. “Kawhi wanted to play. We wanted him to play.”
At the end of training camp in Vegas last week, USA Basketball announced to the world that they will be replacing Leonard with Celtic guard Derrick White.
“Kawhi has been preparing for the Olympics for the past few weeks and has had a few solid practices in Las Vegas,” the statement released on July 10 read. “He felt ready to compete. However, he respects that USA Basketball and the Clippers have decided that it is in his best interest to spend the remainder of the summer preparing for the upcoming season rather than participating in the Olympic Games in Paris.”
Leonard has been dealing with inflammation and soreness in his knees, so many assumed his withdrawal was due to that.
But Frank is not convinced.
“I was there when he did the first two practices,” Frank said when asked if Leonard was bothered by his knee injury. “He looked very good, fully involved in everything they did. I wasn't there to do it the third time, when at the end, it was the point where they decided to go in a different direction. I said, I really wish they would have given Kawhi more time.
“It has benefited us to be with Kawhi for five years to see his body, to see where he is. He looked good to me. I know all the sacrifices he made to make this commitment to the Olympics. So it was very disappointing.”
After sending Kawhi home, USA Basketball executive director Grant Hill said after the decision that “we had to turn around” and that “we all made a big effort” to get Leonard to play.
READ MORE: Derrick White Gets Exciting Chance With Team USA
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