Kawhi Leonard is the WORST SUPERSTAR Stephen A. Smith has ever seen in sports 😬 I First Take

Good morning. Developing story. Clipper superstar Kawhi Leonard signed a $28 million endorsement deal with an environmental startup funded by Clipper's owner Steve Ballmer. Now according to an investigation by Pablo Torrey Finds Out, former employees are now raising concerns that Ballmer's $50 million personal investment in the company, currently

under federal investigation for fraud, went on a round trip to power Leonard's no-show job and skirt NBA roles. Pablo got an anonymous former Aspiration employee on the show. Take a

listen. Did you ever see proof of Kawhi Leonard marketing or endorsing Aspiration in any way? Never not once. The single largest payment to an individual for marketing that Aspiration ever made has completely evaded all press. It's honestly incredible. Nothing. You didn't have to do anything.

In other words, Kauai Leonard got from Aspiration a $28 million no-show job.

Yeah, it's amazing. I'm honestly so jealous.

In a statement sent to Torrey's show on Tuesday on behalf of the team and its owner, the Clipper said, neither Mr. Balmer nor the Clipper circumvented the salary cap or engaged in any misconduct related to aspiration.

Any contrary assertion is provably false. Stephen A., your reaction to the story in Pablo's investigation.

Let me say this. First of all, I'm going to always give Steve Ballmer the benefit of the doubt. I think that he's a treasure for the NBA. And obviously, this is worthy of an investigation, it appears. The Clippers have categorically denied any wrongdoing.

I'm certainly going to give this man the benefit of the doubt, because he's done a lot for the league. And I think he's a good man and until we find otherwise he deserves the benefit of the doubt. Not that he doesn't deserve to be investigated but he deserves the benefit of the doubt. Having said that let me tell you what really really stands out with me and why I said believe it or not some of this is believable because there's a sentence in here where it says the deal was with

Kawhi Leonard's company KL2 Aspire LLC and included clauses allowing Leonard to do nothing yet still collect payment. That's the Kawhi Leonard I know. Doing nothing and getting paid for it. Now this is a two-time challenge. I want to be very very clear about what I'm saying. When this man is on the court, he is a bona fide superstar player.

This brother is a two-time champion, two-time NBA Finals MVP, okay? He can ball, doesn't shrink beneath the spotlight or the pressure. This is in no way questioning his greatness as a basketball player. But I have stated this on many occasions

He is the worst Superstar I have ever seen in sports Worse and superstar being the operative words no denying. He's a superstar, but I have never seen a superstar do less To market and promote his team or promote the brand. It was so bad, doggie, that I almost had a heart, I'm telling you right now, I had to go to the doctor

and get checked up because I have palpitations. When I saw this man on a podium at a press conference post-game actually talking, I couldn't believe it. I couldn't believe it because he says nothing. This is a man that did New Balance commercials and the kids spoke, Molly.

The kids! He didn't say a word. You have seen them go up to him and need him to sign autographs and fraternize with the public when he was sitting behind his behind on a bench collecting about 40 plus million dollars and he wouldn't do it. So he has spent years, years doing absolutely positively nothing. That's why

his uncle, Dennis Robinson, is so popular. It's a name that all of us know. Why? Because that man never fails to go and ask for the money now. He wants to ask for the money. They want him a suit. They want a helicopter. They want private jet. You talking about me in private jet? Don't even get me started. This brother. I mean, it is endless what he has made sure he gets time and time and time again despite the inordinate amount of games that he has played. Now last year fooled us all because he played like 21 of the last 25 games was available in the postseason plus did interviews

like I said gave me palpitation I couldn't okay? But he had missed like 34 games before that. This man is a walking absentee on the ballot. This brother will check the absentee ballot as much as he possibly can throughout his career. So when I saw this report and it said, money for doing nothing, I said, hmm, that's what made me pause.

Not because of Steve Ballmer, not because of the Clippers, cause of him. Because if there's a way for this brother to get money, guaranteed, without working, that's what that brother has done. That's what I'm saying.

Now I know he's injured, and I know he's not taking time off, he's injured. But my God, I haven't seen too many people as gifted

in taking time off as Kawhi Leonard. It's Kauai landed. All right, did play really well. And he did. Against Denver. I want to give him a little pass because he was great. I'm more wrapped up in a salary cap situation because in other sports with caps, Jerry Jones got himself lost draft picks, got suspended. Carmen policy with San Francisco.

There was always some issues with them. Washington, they got nailed because they maneuvered. He's done a good job, good job checking that down and making sure these teams obey the rules. $28 million. Palmer loves the players.

He's a very pro player. Adam Silva, you've got to look into this. He does a good job, Pablo. He's on top of it. He's gotten a lot of these things right. I trust him.

So from that standpoint, I think there's probably a lot of a lot of smoke this fire and 28 million is 28 million. The NBA better look into this. Seriously. You can't let him get away with that. All these teams are abiding by the cap and he's fooling around with 28 million. Now you're really sitting to proven guilty as Steve said,

but you need an investigation. That to me is a very serious offense in a salary cap and

I'm not and no way, listen, I've known Steve Ballmer throughout the years. I know a lot of people within the Clippers organization. I think they're first class. I got a lot of love for them. I got a lot of personal relationships within that organization. I've known them for years. I want to give them the benefit of the doubt, and

I want to put that out on front street. And Steve Ballmer is one of my favorite owners in the league. I just think that he's a good man. But that doesn't mean this doesn't warrant an investigation. You're absolutely right. I'm not sitting there and saying otherwise, okay? Because the facts are the facts, and the truth is the truth, whatever it may be.

And there's no question that there's enough speculation out there for this to be looked into. Biggest reasons it needs to be looked into is because of who Kawhi Leonard has been. This is a man that basically held the Clippers hostage. Magic Johnson is running the Los Angeles Lakers, okay. He wants Kawhi Leonard there with LeBron with AD on the way and essentially Kawhi Leonard blackmailed the Los Angeles Clippers. I say that affectionately not maliciously because

he basically said look if you don't go out there and get Paul George I'm not only not coming, I'm gonna go to the Lakers. And so you bomb and the Clippers, you got to try to build a new arena, which opened last year. You can't let that happen. So he not only arrived, but compelled the Clippers to give up a whole boatload of assets, one of them being Shea Gilgis-Alexander, the league MVP, the NBA Finals MVP,

and the reigning NBA champion, who is universally recognized as one of the best in the game and has been a top two league MVP candidate the last two years. You're Kawhi Leonard and you forced them to do that and then proceeded to miss game after game after game

throughout all of these years. So him, and missing these games, but still making sure he gets his check and perks. I can't emphasize that word enough. We'll doggy perks.

He should give lessons on the perks that he has received. Okay, compared to the work that he has done for the Clippers organization when it says, hey, Kawhi Leonard getting this for virtually doing nothing. That's what stood out to me. Kawhi Leonard getting paid for not working?

Leave it there. He did sign a three-year extension, the 2024 offseason, for $153 million. the 2024 offseason, for $153 million.

Yes, he does. And trust me, it's gonna be more.