“He’s a Fun Guy”: Jamal Murray Talks About Kawhi Leonard, Matching Up Against Him

Kawhi Leonard will probably make his season debut soon after he was recently seen participating in no-contact practice. Fans have been waiting to see the two-time NBA Champion back on the floor, and his opponents are taking notes of his return as well. During a recent media interaction, Jamal Murray was asked about Kawhi’s return.

The reporter also asked Murray if he shares a relationship with the Clippers star as a fellow New Balance athlete.

Admitting he doesn’t have too much of a rapport with the Klaw, Murray said, “He’s a quiet guy.” The Nuggets star added that they don’t hang out off the court, but there’s a lot of mutual respect and admiration there.

The 27-year-old then went on to detail his on-court experiences with the Clippers star.

He said, “He’s a fun guy. I can’t wait to see him back out there. Obviously they’re [Clippers] tough to guard with a guy like that out there. Both offensively and defensively.”

The Nuggets guard wished Kawhi luck on his recovery and claimed that he hopes he gets to play against him soon, “I hope he comes back from his injury healthy and rejuvenated… I look forward to that matchup… I love to compete against the best.”

Kawhi has missed 26 games in the season so far. Although the Clippers have done well in his absence, they need their star player to start lacing up for them. The franchise is currently in the ninth position in the Western Conference with a 14-12 record. Once Kawhi joins the team, these numbers are expected to improve.

Kawhi Leonard’s injury update

The good news is that after months of inactivity, Kawhi has started practicing with the Clippers. His right knee injury, which was first detected at the Team USA camp for the Paris Olympics, has forced Kawhi to be sidelined for the season so far. The 33-year-old joined the team for practice on Tuesday and Wednesday.

Although he did not take any contact, Kawhi played both offense and defense. His movement on the floor was a pleasing sight for coach Ty Lue. He said, “It raised our energy. Just for our guys to see him on the floor brought a juice to our team. We needed that jolt. Especially going through the schedule we’ve been through.”

Unfortunately, there are no confirmed details about his return. Regardless, Kawhi has been taking steps in the right direction and some insiders believe that he will play his first game before Christmas.