“Kawhi Leonard is really funny”
The Clippers still can’t use one of their two main February signings, Darius Garland. The All-Star play he is still suffering from a big toe, but assures that he will be back on the field “very, very soon”.
Meanwhile, he discovers his new team and his new teammates, and esp Kawhi Leonard. After working with Donovan Mitchell, he switches gears and will play alongside the two-time Finals MVP and one of the best wing players of his generation.
“I’m cool with this change”he explained Andscape. « I was a little skeptical at first. But I couldn’t turn down the opportunity to play with another future Hall of Famer (Kawhi Leonard) and have the ball in my hands almost 99% of the time. I am in a very good situation. I have more balls in my hands to express myself. I have another superstar by my side. I can go get what I want. »
Absent from the field since January 14, Darius Garland does not blame his former leaders because he knew he was in the hot seat since last season. “It was going to happen anyway, either at the trade deadline or this summer. My agent, Rich Paul, told me about it last summer.”he reveals. “My finger was obviously tough. They didn’t know if I was going to be healthy this season…which I will be. But they thought James (Harden) had something that I didn’t have. He has playoff experience and All-Star numbers even today, even if he wasn’t this year. They want to win now. They have a group. And I guess he was more in the plan.
It will be very complicated for the Clippers to get involved in the title race, and Darius Garland wants to use the last quarter of the regular season to develop his relationship on and off the court with Kawhi Leonard.
“We have a little connection through New Balance, but nothing more,” he continues. “Kawhi, everybody knows he’s very discreet. He talks when you talk to him. That’s why I try to engage him in the conversation more. I try to sit next to him on the plane, on the bench when he comes out of the game, to understand his state of mind. Kawhi is cool. People think he’s super quiet, but he’s a man of the people. He’s a really normal player from us. He’s just a normal player. He loves to play basketball, like me, we have the same chemistry, the same attitude, and he just wants to wins on the same wavelength.
| Darius Garland | Percentage | Rebounds | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Saison | The team | MJ | Min | Shots | 3pts | LF | Off | Def | That | Pd | Ft | Int | Bp | Ct | Pts |
| 2019-20 | CLE | 59 | 30:55 | 40.1 | 35.5 | 87.5 | 0.5 | 1.4 | 1.9 | 3.9 | 1.6 | 0.7 | 2.6 | 0.1 | 12.3 |
| 2020-21 | CLE | 54 | 33:09 | 45.1 | 39.5 | 84.8 | 0.4 | 2.0 | 2.4 | 6.1 | 2.0 | 1.2 | 3.0 | 0.1 | 17.4 |
| 2021-22 | CLE | 68 | 35:44 | 46.2 | 38.3 | 89.2 | 0.6 | 2.7 | 3.3 | 8.6 | 1.7 | 1.3 | 3.6 | 0.1 | 21.7 |
| 2022-23 | CLE | 69 | 35:28 | 46.2 | 41.0 | 86.3 | 0.4 | 2.3 | 2.7 | 7.8 | 2.1 | 1.2 | 2.9 | 0.1 | 21.6 |
| 2023-24 | CLE | 57 | 33:21 | 44.6 | 37.1 | 83.4 | 0.5 | 2.1 | 2.7 | 6.5 | 1.7 | 1.3 | 3.1 | 0.1 | 18.0 |
| 2024-25 | CLE | 75 | 30:41 | 47.2 | 40.1 | 87.8 | 0.6 | 2.2 | 2.9 | 6.7 | 1.9 | 1.2 | 2.5 | 0.1 | 20.6 |
| 2025-26 | CLE | 26 | 30:28 | 45.1 | 36.0 | 86.1 | 0.5 | 2.0 | 2.4 | 6.9 | 1.8 | 0.8 | 2.8 | 0.1 | 18.0 |
How to read statistics? MJ = matches played; Min = Minute; Shots = Shots Successful / Shots Attempted; 3 points = 3 points / attempt 3 points; LF = free throws made / free throws attempted; Off = offensive rebound; Def=defensive jump; Tot = Total number of jumps; Pd = assists; Fte: Personal mistakes; Int = intercepts; Bp = lost balls; Ct: Against; Points = Points.
2026-02-21 15:24:00
