Let’s pump the brakes for a second on a Kawhi Leonard quote after Wednesday’s Los Angeles Clippers introductory press conference with Paul George.
In an interview with ESPN’s Rachel Nichols, Leonard said, “This is probably going to be my first time playing with an elite player at his level … around the same age as me, same talent.”
But I’ve seen a bunch of tweets that have taken that first part and wondered if he’s ripping future Hall of Famers like Tim Duncan, Manu Ginobili and Tony Parker, who played alongside Leonard in San Antonio, who were “elite players.” Maybe that pause in the middle of the quote (marked by my ellipses above) threw everyone off?
Leonard is saying it’s the first time he’s played with who’s around the same age and at that talent level — in other words an in-his-prime star while Leonard is at his late-20s and playing like an MVP.
And that’s correct!
