"They just went hard" - Former Lakers coach reminisces intense workout with LeBron James, Kevin Durant and Kawhi Leonard
LeBron James, Kevin Durant and Kawhi Leonard are three of the best forwards in the NBA. They are intense and fierce rivals on the court but sometimes work together in the offseason. The trio had one such session in the summer of 2018.
In the “Podcast P with Paul George,” Phil Handy, a former Lakers coach, shared about working out with them:
“Me and Kawhi were working out. We were preparing to go to Toronto and Bron was in LA. He was like, ‘Phil, let’s get some work in.’ But that was probably one of the most competitive workouts I’ve ever put together.
“Dudes were like, ‘I’m not trying to mess up on the handle, I’m not trying to miss shots, I’m trying to be flawless and clean. It was so competitive. Everybody was trying to get every rep perfect. Footwork. Handle. Balance. Jumper. The energy, man, was so high in the workout. It was unbelievable. They just went hard the whole workout."
2018 was a summer of change for Kawhi Leonard and LeBron James. Leonard had forced his way out of the San Antonio Spurs and was traded to the Toronto Raptors. James left Cleveland for the second time to take his talents to Hollywood.
Meanwhile, Kevin Durant was looking for a three-peat with the Golden State Warriors. KD had just won back-to-back NBA Finals MVP awards but remained hungry for more. Cedi Osman, the fourth NBA player in the group, was still with the Cleveland Cavaliers when that workout happened.
Phil Handy was an assistant coach for the Raptors in 2018, so it wasn’t surprising he worked with Kawhi Leonard. Before the Raptors stint, he worked with LeBron James in Cleveland.
LeBron James and Kevin Durant have played well this season, but Kawhi Leonard remains out
LeBron James, playing in his 22nd season, is still putting up solid numbers. The LA Lakers superstar is averaging 22.8 points, 9.1 assists and 8.0 rebounds per game. He is dealing with a sore left foot but has been largely healthy.
Kevin Durant is having an MVP-calibre season, averaging 25.7 PPG, 6.5 RPG, 3.7 APG and 1.3 BPG. Durant is hitting 51.9% of his shots, including 41.3% from deep. The Phoenix Suns are 1-9 this season without him.
Kawhi Leonard hasn’t seen action this season due to a knee injury. The last time he played was Game 3 in the first round of the playoffs against the Dallas Mavericks. Reports have surfaced that he could make his season debut for the LA Clippers before Christmas.