LA Clippers Star Kawhi Leonard Plans to Play for Team USA in Tokyo Olympics

LA Clippers star Kawhi Leonard said his plan "right now" is to play for Team USA in the Tokyo Olympics.

Garrett Chorpenning | Mar 7, 2021

LA Clippers Star Kawhi Leonard Plans to Play for Team USA in Tokyo Olympics /

After the 2020-21 season wraps and the LA Clippers' campaign comes to a close, star forward Kawhi Leonard will head to Tokyo for a shot at a first gold medal.

During his All-Star media availability on Sunday afternoon, Leonard said that his plan "right now" is to compete for Team USA in the 2020 Olympics.

Leonard first made it known that he intended to participate in the 2020 Olympic Games at the Clippers' media day in 2019 — a desire that has held despite the many alterations that have been made to the schedule since then. The Summer Games were supposed to be held last year, though the spread of the coronavirus made it impossible for the events to go on as planned. Instead, the Olympics are expected to begin on July 23 and end on Aug. 8.

Leonard will be one of the top players on what will surely be a star-studded roster. The two-way star is enjoying one of the best seasons of his career with the Clippers, averaging 26.6 points, 6.3 rebounds and 4.9 assists per game. Leonard is also connecting on 38.7% of his three-point attempts on the year — his highest mark since the 2015-16 season.

The 29-year-old has accomplished many things throughout his NBA career, including winning two NBA titles and two Finals MVP awards. Winning a gold medal, though, would be a first.

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