Through the last few seasons, injuries have taken a major toll on what Paul George can bring to the LA Clippers. These health concerns became serious after LA’s momentous Western Conference Finals run. First, a UCL injury kept him out for most of the 2021-22 season. Then a knee injury forced him to miss the 2023 playoffs.
Later, George spoke about his injury on his podcast known as ‘Podcast P’ presented by Wave Sports + Entertainment. He dove into his health issues with the OKC Thunder and how he could not play for the Clippers in the 2023 playoffs.
However, George and co-host Jackie Long mentioned Stephen A. Smith’s name(9:18) and how it is wrong to criticize an athlete for missing games due to an unpreventable injury. This led to a brutal response from Smith on his personal show, where he shared his perspective on the entirety of the situation.
Stephen A. Smith responds to Clippers’ Paul George and co-host Jackie Long.
Recently, NBA insider and analyst Stephen A. Smith responded to what LA Clippers star Paul George had to say about his injury history. Furthermore, Smith mentions how George is among the highest-paid athletes in the world yet doesn’t have a championship to show for it.
Stephen A. Smith fires back at Paul George:
— Legion Hoops (@LegionHoops) July 31, 2023
“Did you know you were the 34th highest paid athlete in the world, for the year 2023? $51.5M total and $9.3M in endorsements. I could say I’m waiting for a championship Paul George, for that kind of money.”
(via @stephenasmith) pic.twitter.com/ORR5NkUxIp
While this is a fair opinion, injuries are inevitable in all sports. They are also uncontrollable, which means it is out of George’s hands when it comes to recovering from these bumps in the road. Additionally, George turned 33 years old earlier this year. Soon, he will enter the later stages of his career, making him more prone to health issues.
Nonetheless, George’s contract and endorsements have nothing to do with his health status and injury history. He has made it clear several times that he is doing all he can to bring a championship to the LA Clippers.