Is Zion Williamson turning into the next Kawhi Leonard?

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OKLAHOMA CITY, OK – JUNE 06: Tony Parker #9 of the San Antonio Spurs talks with teammates Kawhi Leonard #2, Manu Ginobili #20, Tim Duncan #21 and DeJuan Blair #45 of the San Antonio Spurs against the Oklahoma City Thunder in Game Six of the Western Conference Finals of the 2012 NBA Playoffs at Chesapeake Energy Arena on June 6, 2012 in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, Is Zion Williamson turning into the next Kawhi Leonard?. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Ronald Martinez/Getty Images) /

Is Zion Williamson turning into the next Kawhi Leonard?: Leonard’s story

Williamson’s drama with the Pelicans has some parallels to Kawhi Leonard’s issues with the San Antonio Spurs back in 2017. Leonard and the Spurs disagreed on how to treat a quad injury during that season.

The Spurs called the injury quadriceps tendon tendinopathy. The diagnosis essentially meant that the team felt that Leonard’s quadricep tendon would never get better because it was constantly exhausted. Unfortunately, the Leonard family felt differently.

They felt that the quadriceps muscle had developed a callous and had hardened from several deep contusions he had received over the last year. The repeated trauma to muscle caused it to atrophy affecting the surrounding areas.

The difference in opinions resulted in Leonard only playing in nine games for the team during the 2017-18 season because he didn’t trust the organization’s medical staff. Leonard’s refusal to play led to several teammates calling him out.

For example, former Spurs point guard, Tony Parker, stated that he had a worse quad injury than Leonard the prior season and was already back on the court. These types of comments led to Leonard being a detached teammate.

He wouldn’t show up to games, practices, or talk to teammates that often. Leonard would spend most of his time in New York with the doctors he trusted to find answers for his injury.

The chasm between the Spurs and Leonard was so big that he asked for a trade. Leonard preferred to go to one of the teams in his home state – either the Lakers or the Clippers.

Unfortunately, the Spurs refused because they didn’t want to cave into Leonard’s demands. Consequently, he was traded to the Toronto Raptors for DeMar DeRozan, Jakob Poeltl, and draft picks.

Throughout the whole Leonard ordeal, the Spurs’ behavior has contributed to them only being a playing tournament team once Leonard left the franchise. If they had listened to Leonard, perhaps he would still be in San Antonio, and they would have had more success as a team.

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