Days have passed, and yet the Southern California Wildfires do not seem to be retreating anytime soon. After having missed the first 34 games of the season, the last thing that Kawhi Leonard would have wanted was to miss out on any further games. Unfortunately, he had to miss out on another matchup to help out his family, whose home in the Pacific Palisades was threatened to be damaged by the ongoing fires. As the player returned to his duties a few hours ago, people wanted to know an update regarding his home and his family.
The LA Clippers recently went up against the Miami Heat at the brand-new Intuit Dome. The home team’s previous matchup against the Charlotte Hornets was postponed as the Wildfires continued to spread throughout Los Angeles. In the game’s aftermath, Kawhi Leonard revealed that the Clippers had given him, and other players, some time off to deal with any family emergencies that would have stemmed from this recent calamity.
On a personal note, the NBA star revealed that he was making attempts to “trying to get the family in order, making sure that everybody is settled, and making sure everyone’s safe.” Visibly downcast and not in a bright mood, Leonard did not choose to mince words around when asked about the condition of his house, and others who resided in the Palisades area.
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“As we know, everybody is not okay,” said Leonard. “You’ve seen the houses burned down so it’s self-explanatory.”
Kawhi Leonard on leaving Denver:
“Just trying to get the family in order. Making sure that everybody is settled. And making sure everyone is safe.”
He was asked about his neighbors and if his house is okay.
Kawhi: “As we know, everybody is not okay. You’ve seen the houses… pic.twitter.com/af52rf4ny7
— Joey Linn (@joeylinn_) January 14, 2025
By last week, the California Wildfires had created a deep impact in Hollywood City. 5 people had lost their lives, 1100 structures were reportedly destroyed, and over 130k people were hit with evacuation orders. Now, as the death toll has risen up to 25, the number of people who evacuated their homes of decades would have also multiplied by quite a bit.
Fortunately, even though Kawhi Leonard’s family members would have been amongst the evacuees, he did not suffer any property damage that has now affected the lives of thousands of LA residents. According to a report by TMZ, as of last Wednesday, Kawhi Leonard’s reportedly $17 million worth home was captured as being mostly unharmed. There was only a bit of ash layering the mansion which seemed to indicate the presence of a wildfire. By Thursday, the condition of the house remained the same. No recent update on the same may be good news, as it indicates that Leonard’s house continues to remain intact. Therefore, the player certainly experienced a close shave.
While Kawhi Leonard was certainly lucky, the same cannot be said for others. Lakers head coach JJ Redick revealed that his house, also located in the Pacific Palisades area, burned down last Tuesday. Adding on to the remarks, he revealed “I went through most of the village and it’s all gone. It’s complete devastation and destruction”. Even Warriors head coach Steve Kerr’s childhood home and high school could not be saved. Rohan Ali, a Video Producer who works for the Los Angeles Lakers, started a ‘GoFundMe’ page. He sought help for his parents as their home of 30 years, in the Altadena area, was destroyed. From players like Anthony Davis and Jarred Vanderbilt to reporters like Dave McMenamin, everyone chipped in to help Ali.
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The update on the Palisades community is nothing short of heartbreaking. The severity of the fire in that area was reportedly the highest. About 24,000 acres of land are now reportedly burned out, with the Santa Ana wind worsening the situation. In light of this, what Kawhi Leonard needed from his team members was some support. Fortunately, the head coach was there to lend it to him.
Clippers head coach Ty Lue threw his support around Kawhi Leonard amidst the spreading fires
During the practice session held before the matchup against the Miami Heat, Ty Lue gave an update on Kawhi Leonard. As the player attended to his family, he missed out on the matchup against the Denver Nuggets. The Clippers lost the game by a 126-103 score. Despite this, the Clippers head coach did not attempt to put any of the blame on his star player. Instead, he stated “It’s a tough situation for him, dealing with his family and house. We’re here to support him, not just Kawhi, but anyone in the community who needs help. We’ll be there.”
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In moments as devasting as the ongoing one, it is important to focus on the positive side of things. For Kawhi Leonard, that is the fact that his house still remains intact and that he has the support of people who understand his plight.
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Kawhi Leonard's home survived, but should athletes do more to support their devastated communities?
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Kawhi Leonard's home survived, but should athletes do more to support their devastated communities?
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