Kawhi Leonard looks forward to making his Olympic debut with USA

ATLANTA (United States) - Kawhi Leonard declared over the weekend after playing at the NBA All-Star Game in Atlanta that he is planning on representing the United States at this summer's Tokyo Olympics.

The 29-year-old superstar said as much, even with the possibility of his NBA team, the Los Angeles Clippers, making the Play-Offs, which could finish as late as July 22.

Leonard played at the 2015 USA Basketball Showcase

The Clippers are fourth in the Western Conference, four games behind the leading Utah Jazz.

After Leonard played for Team Durant in its 170-150 defeat to Team LeBron in the All-Star Game, he was asked about the Olympics.

"I think a lot of people were in for 2020 but just the pandemic killed pretty much everything," he answered.

"But right now, my plan is to go. It doesn't really matter how much success that we (the Clippers) have. If I feel up to it, and I'm ready to go around that time, then I'm going to play."

Leonard has been a part of the USA Basketball setup for nine years. He was  a member of the 2012 USA Basketball Select Team that trained against the 2012 U.S. Olympic Team.

He was then, in January of 2014, included in the 2014-16 USA Men's National Team squad. Leonard captured his first NBA crown several months later with the San Antonio Spurs and was named NBA Finals MVP, but he did not compete with the American team that ran roughshod over all their opponents en route to the world title that year in Spain.

"MY PLAN IS TO GO ... IF I FEEL UP TO IT, AND I'M READY TO GO AROUND THAT TIME, THEN I'M GOING TO PLAY."- Kawhi Leonard

The following summer he again linked up with USA Basketball and played in the 2015 Showcase yet did not feature for the Americans in Rio de Janeiro the next year, when they won the Olympic gold medal.

The Los Angeles native, after leading the Toronto Raptors to their first title in 2019 and again being named NBA Finals MVP, did not play for the USA side that finished seventh at that summer's FIBA Basketball World Cup in China.

He was again included, 13 months ago, as a finalist for the 2020 U.S. Olympic Men's Basketball Team. The Summer Games were postponed because of the coronavirus pandemic and were rescheduled for 2021.

If Leonard does play, he will be reunited with USA boss Gregg Popovich, his former coach in San Antonio.

Just over a month ago, the USA, who have won the last three Olympic gold medals, were drawn in Group B of the Men's Olympic Basketball Tournament in Tokyo with Iran, France and the team that wins the FIBA Olympic Qualifying Tournament in Victoria, Canada. 

FIBA