Kawhi Leonard made a surprising decision ahead of the 2024 Paris Olympics. Initially set to play in his first Olympic tournament, Leonard opted to withdraw from the team, a move agreed by both Team USA and the Los Angeles Clippers.
Many fans were disappointed, but for the 33-year-old Clippers star, who has endured numerous injuries, it wasn’t an unreasonable choice. Last season alone, a right knee injury forced Leonard to sit out the final eight regular-season games and four out of six playoff games in their first-round matchup against the Dallas Mavericks.
Following this news, former Boston Celtics superstar Paul Pierce offered a controversial opinion on Leonard. While Pierce backs Leonard’s decision to withdraw from Team USA, he believes the two-time NBA champion should contemplate retirement.
“Knowing Kawhi’s history of injuries, I like that move,” said Pierce. “Kawhi should start thinking about retirement. This is just for the guy’s health. Think about how much, he’s missed 44% of the games. Like that’s your body telling you, like it’s hard to get through an 82-game season,” Pierce added.
Kawhi Leonard withdraws from Team USA; @PaulPierce34 weighs in:
“It’s best on both parts he gets ready for the team that just paid him a boatload of money.” pic.twitter.com/cYWVrGaJgD
— UNDISPUTED (@undisputed) July 10, 2024
