Kawhi Leonard will be sidelined for a big chunk of the 2021/22 NBA season after suffering an ACL tear during last season’s playoff, leaving his team helpless against the Phoenix Suns in the Western Conference Finals.
While he’s recovering, the player is trying to help his teammates however he can. He will watch a lot of games from the sidelines and has started to embrace a coaching role with the Los Angeles team.
It seems like Kawhi’s coaching skills are working for the Clippers. Teammate Nicolas Batum recently praised him for being around, vocal, and trying to do his part while he’s out.
Via The Orange County Register:
“Yeah he’s right there,” Batum said before practice Friday at the Clippers’ training facility, with a nod across the gym, toward where the weight training equipment is stationed. “Like he’s here today. He’s here, he’s around every day. He’s been vocal … he’s a good coach, and he’s like that actually. So that’s good to have around because, you know, we miss him, but he can still have an impact on the team anyway.”
And what is Coach Kawhi like?
“He’s not like the loudest one, but no, he knows what to say, what to do,” Batum said. “When he has (something) to say, especially on the side when we play five-on-five … he’ll take guys on the side and tell you what he sees, what he just saw the last previous play.”
Leonard will enter the third season as part of the Clippers. He’s been unable to take the team to the promised land and this one will be even harder for everybody. Paul George is ready to carry them to the playoff, but being without Kawhi will hurt their chances to transcend in the postseason.
Fortunately, the Clippers are confident they can see Kawhi sooner than expected, which could be a problem for rivals. Meanwhile, he’s trying to be a good coach while things fall into place.
