“God damn, he’s incredibly special” - Former NBA champion says he wants to see Kawhi Leonard back with a vengeance
Kawhi Leonard is one of the NBA's best players, extremely gifted on both ends of the floor and arguably the best two-way player in the entire league when healthy.
Unfortunately for him, the clippers" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" data-is-sponsored="false">LA Clippers forward hasn't been healthy in the last few years. Since joining the Clippers in 2019, Leonard has appeared in only 109 games and missed all of last season.
In an interview with Tomer Azarly, former NBA player Metta Sandiford-Artest said this about the two-time NBA champion:
"Hopefully, we get Kawhi back. I wanna see Kawhi back. Hopefully, he comes back with a vengeance. I wanna see him on the court. Kawhi is special because he's in shape, he can score and he can play defense. He's incredible. He's incredibly special. God damn! He's incredibly special!"
Kawhi Leonard is definitely special and he's one of the most entertaining players to watch. If he comes back healthy, the Clippers could have a deep playoff run.
Metta knows how good Kawhi Leonard is
Metta Sandiford-Artest played for six different teams during his 17-year career. However, his longest tenure was in Los Angeles with the Lakers, winning the 2010 championship.
Sandiford-Artest still lives in the City of Angels and loves it. That's why he's rooting for the Clippers and hopes that coach Tyronn Lue does well.
Sandiford-Artest knows how good Kawhi Leonard is. The two are both 6-foot-7 forwards and have played in Los Angeles. Furthermore, their playstyles are similar as they are both amazing two-way players.
Leonard is a much better scorer, and his shooting percentages are incredible. Sandiford-Artest, on the other hand, was more physical, although this wasn't always a good thing.
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Thanks to his incredible defense, Sandiford-Artest helped the Lakers win it all in 2010. If it wasn't for his late-game heroics in the Western Conference finals against the Phoenix Suns, the Lakers probably wouldn't have won the title.
Has Kawhi Leonard recovered from his injury?
Leonard missed all last season due to an ACL injury. However, he made progress throughout the season and Clippers fans are hoping to see him back next season.
The two-time champion is still not participating in 5-on-5 practices, but he was recently spotted playing basketball with his teammates at UC Santa Barbara.
According to a report by The Athletic, the LA Clippers superstar is physically ready to return. Furthermore, he has no mental obstacles, either, which is why fans can expect him to be ready for the new season.
In two seasons with the Clippers, Leonard averaged 26.0 points, 6.8 rebounds, 5.0 assists and 1.7 steals per game. He was also fantastic in the postseason, averaging 29.2 points per game.
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