“Worst Superstar in History”: Stephen A. Smith Slams Kawhi Leonard for Getting Paid Without Working Amid Injury Concerns

In September 2025, Stephen A. Smith said he had never seen a "superstar do less to market and promote his team," and joked that few people were as "gifted in taking time off" as Kawhi Leonard. That was in response to Pablo Torre's report on Leonard's Aspiration deal.

Now, with Leonard injured again three games into his return to Toronto, Smith has brought back the label one more time.

“This is the worst superstar in the history of sports,” Smith said on First Take on Tuesday, reacting to news that Leonard will miss a period of weeks with swelling in his left knee.

“He is a veteran, he knows exactly what it takes to be ready,” Smith said. “But he is the master at getting over. This man should give a masterclass... I mean, he should give masterclasses on how to get paid without working. There has been no one better, no one better than Kawhi Leonard at getting paid for not working.”

Toronto learned that Leonard would be out of the lineup for weeks because of an ongoing knee issue. For a player on a new team in the first month of a season, the timing is uncomfortable for the Raptors.

Leonard’s offseason was unusual, though. The NBA’s investigation into the Clippers kept the trade on hold until mid-September, and he couldn’t work out with the Raptors until it cleared.

It is also a familiar pattern for Smith. During the 2023 playoffs, with Leonard sidelined again, Smith said he “should be on the list of one of the worst superstars this game has ever seen.” He was careful to add that he wasn’t questioning Leonard’s talent or the legitimacy of his injuries, but he also suggested the Clippers should force him to retire.

A year later, as Leonard missed more postseason games, Smith said, “I can make a case this is the worst superstar in sports history.”

Last year he said of Leonard, "This man is a walking absentee on the ballot." The "masterclass" line itself is a repeat of what he said about the same scandal weeks earlier.

The Raptors have invested in Leonard anyway. Reports indicated that the Raptors and Leonard agreed to a two-year, $115 million extension. That deal makes the injury news more important for Toronto, and it gives Smith a ready-made talking point about pay.

The Clippers were fined $30 million, the largest team fine in NBA history, for circumventing the salary cap to funnel money to Leonard through Aspiration. The team also lost five first-round picks and its top executives received suspensions, while Leonard faced a $700,000 fine. Smith's argued that the punishment on the player was far too light.

“He is the absolute worst superstar in the history of American sports,” Smith said on his show that day. “Kawhi Leonard got off easy. He owes tens of millions of dollars for the amount of time he’s taken off work. Kawhi Leonard should give masterclasses on how to get paid for not working.” He added that Robertson’s ban “should be for life.”

Leonard has denied wrongdoing. He said he entered his agreements with the Clippers in good faith and had no knowledge of any intent to circumvent the salary cap.

There is also a counterpoint on the injury side. Leonard's health problems are real and well documented. He underwent surgery in July 2021 to repair a partial tear of his right ACL and a meniscus repair in 2023.

This injury is to his left knee, and the Raptors have described it as swelling with no acute injury. He’ll be re-evaluated in a week. Before he was hurt, he averaged 19.5 points, 7.5 rebounds and 3.5 steals in his first two games back in Toronto.

If Leonard returns healthy and productive, the line may fade, as it has before. If this absence stretches on, Smith's take and criticism will follow him in Toronto, regardless of how fair it is.