‘Weird Obsession,’ ‘Incredible Take’ — NBA World Divided As Stephen A. Smith Labels Kawhi Leonard a ‘Gangster’ Over Handling of Clippers Scandal

Stephen A. Smith knows how to stir the pot with his bold takes, and he has done it again, calling Kawhi Leonard a “gangster” as the former Los Angeles Clippers star prepares to begin his second stint with the Toronto Raptors.

Needless to say, the NBA world has plenty to say about the veteran sports analyst’s take, especially after Leonard walked away from the Clippers while the franchise absorbed the biggest penalties from the league’s salary-cap investigation.

The NBA found the Clippers guilty of violating salary-cap circumvention rules in connection with Leonard.

Consequently, the Clippers received the harshest punishment in NBA history, including a $30 million fine. But perhaps the most stinging penalty was losing five straight first-round picks from 2029 to 2033, which could hurt the franchise for years.

Owner Steve Ballmer was also suspended for one year, while executives Lawrence Frank (six months) and Gillian Zucker (one year) received suspensions as well.

Ironically, Leonard, who was at the center of the controversy, was only fined $700,000 and received no suspension. He has now left the franchise after his long-awaited trade to Toronto was finalized on September 14.

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Leonard walked out the door while the Clippers were left with the fallout after they did everything over and under to recruit and retain the two-time NBA champion.

That contrast is what Smith focused on during Tuesday’s edition of First Take.

“Kawhi Leonard… he’s a gangster. He broke the rules, got caught, pointed the finger at somebody else, threw the organization under the bus, got his money and left the country. I mean, damn, how much better can it get than that?,” Smith said.

The reactions over Smith’s comments were immediate, with fans split over whether the longtime analyst was making a sharp point or taking the criticism of Leonard too far.

“He’s been hatewatching Kawhi since 2020 this weird obsession he has on him has to stop,” one user remarked.

Another fan mocked the severity of the criticism, writing, “Treating this man like he Al Capone.”

The debate also brought comparisons to LeBron James, with one Clippers loyalist pointing out, “If that was Bron he would be calling for his arrest lmao.”

“Went from calling Kawhi ‘the worst superstar of all time’ to glazing him saying he’s a ‘gangster’ the day after he leaves the Clippers it’s honestly comedic atp,” an X user joked.

But others thought Smith had finally delivered a take worth hearing.

“SAS said something smart for once,” a fan admitted.

Ralph Amsden, a football content creator, appeared to love Smith’s assessment, reacting with, “Incredible take,” alongside a laughing emoji.

Another fan sounded almost shocked to find themselves on Smith’s side.

“Yup, can’t believe I’m agreeing with Stephen A,” the fan acknowledged.

Leonard now returns to Toronto, where he led the Raptors to their first championship and won Finals MVP in 2019. He averaged a career-high 27.9 points per game for the Clippers last season and finished seventh in MVP voting.

For Los Angeles, however, the focus is now on rebuilding around Brandon Ingram, Darius Garland, and the rest of its reshaped roster while dealing with the long-term cost of the NBA’s punishment.

This article originally appeared on Pro Football Network.