A timeline of Kawhi Leonard’s knee injuries

“There is no timeline”. Don’t worry, there is one below, we’ll get to that timeline, but the words of Ty Lue, head coach of the Clippers, were ominous when asked about Kawhi Leonard’s recovery period for his latest knee issue that is set to see him out of action for the, well, nobody really knows.

Calls for his retirement have come in from fans and pundits, while some consider the talent of the two-time NBA Finals MVP, two-time Defensive Player of the Year and six-time All-NBA player, too great to let go. Leonard and knee injuries have become synonyms for each other over time, with the constant physical issues affecting the forward since... can you remember?

When was Kawhi Leonard’s first injury?

Curiosuly, despite the fact that Kawhi is now a byword for injury, not all of his issues have been with his knees. These specific ligament problems are, in terms of his career, a fairly recent occurrence. Leonard was sidelined with various ankle sprains and thigh issues before the bad luck of terrible knee injuries blighted his recent career.

May 9, 2017: This marked the beginning of Leonard’s injury saga. He hurt his ankle late in Game 5 of the Spurs vs. Rockets Western Conference Semifinals. After sitting out Game 6, which the Spurs won, he returned for Game 1 of the Western Conference Finals.

May 14, 2017: Just a few days later, Leonard sprained his ankle after landing on Zaza Pachulia’s foot during Game 1 against the Warriors. This action was considered dirty and even dangerous by many, causing the NBA to implement rules to prevent this kind of play.

Sept. 30, 2017: The Spurs announced Leonard would miss the preseason to rehab from right thigh tendinopathy.

Dec. 12, 2017: After missing 27 games, Leonard returned for the Spurs, only playing 16 minutes as he eased back into the lineup.

Jan. 13, 2018: Leonard played his final game of the season—and for the Spurs. Although the team’s medical staff cleared him, Leonard sought a second opinion, leading to tension within the locker room. He would leave in July that year. Leonard moved to the Raptors and led them to their first NBA championship before signing for the LA Clippers in July 2019.

June 14, 2021: Leonard partially tore his right ACL during the Western Conference Semifinals against the Jazz. After a couple of injury-free seasons, this setback changed everything for the star.

Oct. 20, 2022: After missing the 2021-22 season, Leonard returned to play 52 games, helping the Clippers make the playoffs.

April 16, 2023: Leonard tore his right meniscus in Game 1 of the first-round series against the Suns. He played through the injury in Game 2 but missed the rest of the series.

May 3, 2024: Leonard’s season ended due to knee iNFLaMMAtion that kept him out of the final eight regular-season Games and three playoff Games. Despite playing in 68 Games—the most since 2017—his physical issues lingered.

July 10, 2024: Leonard withdrew from Team USA to focus on the upcoming NBA season, with reports noting his battle with chronic knee soreness and inflammation. Derrick White replaced him for the 2024 Olympics, where the side won gold. He has still not recovered.

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“He felt good,” Lue said, “He looked good. The swelling was down, everything was going in the right direction. He had worked hard to get to that point, and then once you start playing, you never know what’s going to happen. But he was in position, we thought in the right position to go forward, and it was a setback, so that was unfortunate.”

Leonard played in 68 regular-season Games last season and averaged 23.7 points, 6.1 rebounds, 3.6 assists and 1.6 steals while managing to get into the All-Stars. In total, he has missed 179 of a possible 435 Games since joining the Clippers in 2019.