Apr 13, 2025; San Francisco, California, USA; LA Clippers forward Kawhi Leonard (2) brings the ball up court against the Golden State Warriors during the third quarter at Chase Center. Robert Edwards-Imagn Images

Russell Westbrook's Strong Statement on Kawhi Leonard

Originally posted on Los Angeles Clippers on SI
By Matt Guzman | Last updated Apr 16, 2025 9:05 PM ET

Russell Westbrook, speaking ahead of the Denver Nuggets' first-round playoff series against the LA Clippers, made sure to go further in depth than he did a few weeks back.

The first order of business? Assess his competition.

"Kawhi is really, really good,"Westbrook said when asked about Clippers star Kawhi Leonard. "He impacts winning in different ways."

"Kawhi is really, really good. He impacts winning in different ways."

Full Russell Westbrook press conference ⬇️ pic.twitter.com/f3oQCT60eL
— DNVR Nuggets (@DNVR_Nuggets) April 16, 2025

This season, Leonard only played 37 games for LA, but finished the season healthy, appearing in nine straight wins dating back to March 26 to close the year. The forward averaged 21.5 points, 5.9 rebounds, and 3.1 assists on near-50 percent shooting from the field to lead the Clippers to the No. 5 seed in the Western Conference.

Despite the injuries he's sustained throughout his career, he continues to return to the court in hopes of making an impact. His reasoning for doing so is simple.

This article first appeared on Los Angeles Clippers on SI and was syndicated with permission.

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