Alright, picture this: The Los Angeles Clippers get ahold of Kawhi Leonard, the quiet powerhouse of the NBA. But to them, this isn’t just basketball. Kawhi becomes like some mythical creature they’ve gotta keep at all costs, like a unicorn… but a unicorn with very bad knees. And now, here comes a lawsuit from Randy Shelton, the former Clippers strength and conditioning coach. According to him, they weren’t just keeping Kawhi on a pedestal—they had him under surveillance.
Shelton, who’s known Kawhi since the good ol’ San Diego State days, claims the Clippers roped him in as a “Kawhi Whisperer” back in 2017 to keep Leonard happy. But then, as soon as Kawhi signed, the Clippers were like, “Thanks for helping us snag him; now go back to your corner.” Shelton says it gets worse: he alleges they even nudged him to gather some private health information on Leonard. Imagine the Clippers calling him up like, “Hey, Randy, can you, uh, check if Kawhi’s knees squeak when he gets up in the morning?” But, no—Shelton says they gave him the boot from major injury discussions, shrugged off his warnings, and eventually tossed him aside in 2023 after he called out their “unsafe and illegal” injury practices.
The Clippers’ response? A classic! They’re denying it all, of course. “Unfounded claims,” they say. And they insist they honored his contract—maybe they even threw in a Clippers hoodie. Meanwhile, Leonard’s knees have him sitting out indefinitely, making fans wonder: when did “Let’s protect the talent” turn into “Let’s keep him upright till the buzzer”? It’s like they’re so desperate for him to shine they’re trying to duct tape him together for just one more game.
But this lawsuit? It’s not just any lawsuit. It’s a backstage pass to the Clippers’ ethics, and we’re all getting the popcorn ready. At some point, you have to ask: How much does a team really owe to its stars? Not just in cash and car endorsements, but in actual, human-level TLC? If Shelton’s claims hold water, the Clippers might have to answer some tough questions. And those fans chanting “Title run!” might start wondering if they’re cheering for a team or the world’s most elaborate knee-risking experiment.
