NBA coaching legend takes shot at Joe Biden

One American leader’s prudent decision to step down deserves another, according to retired NBA coach George Karl.

Reacting to Kawhi Leonard’s decision to withdraw from Team USA ahead of this month’s Paris Olympics, the 73-year-old Hall of Famer and former San Antonio Spurs player suggested that President Joe Biden should do the same following last month’s disastrous debate performance against Donald Trump.

‘Unsurprising re Kawhi,’ said Karl, who has previously donated to Democrats. ‘Now it’s your turn to do the same, Biden.’

Many responded to Karl’s post by suggesting he was supporting Donald Trump, but the 2013 NBA Coach of the Year quickly rejected that idea.

‘If you’re confused, this doesnt (sic) mean I like Maga man,’ Karl added.

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Karl went on to deliver one more pointed message to Biden.

‘It’s still a team game, President Biden,’ Karl wrote. ‘And we need to beat the other team this time.’

Leonard’s decision to withdraw from the Olympics comes after an injury-plagued season with the Los Angeles Clippers. Leonard missed 12 of the Los Angeles Clippers’ final 14 games this past season with right knee inflammation, though he said in recent days that he felt fine and the knee was doing well. USA Basketball said it, along with the Clippers, made the decision on Leonard’s status for Paris.

‘Kawhi has been ramping up for the Olympics over the past several weeks and had a few strong practices in Las Vegas,’ USA Basketball said in a statement. ‘He felt ready to compete. However, he respects that USA Basketball and the Clippers determined it’s in his best interest to spend the remainder of the summer preparing for the upcoming season rather than participating in the Olympic Games in Paris.’

Leonard has been replaced by Celtics guard Derrick White.

White is expected to be in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates, later this week to join the U.S. squad. The team will fly to Abu Dhabi from Las Vegas on Thursday and is scheduled to practice there Saturday ahead of exhibition games against Australia on July 15 and Serbia on July 17.

White averaged 15.2 points and 5.2 assists for the Celtics this past season. His selection gives Boston three of the 12 players on the U.S. roster; Celtics teammates Jayson Tatum and Jrue Holiday also are Paris-bound.

Biden has rejected calls to step down following last month’s disastrous debate performance against Trump, after which many began questioning his ability to remain in office.

A former University of North Carolina guard who played under the legendary Dean Smith with the Tar Heels, Karl is best known for coaching the Gary Payton-Shawn Kemp Sonics teams of the early 1990s.

Although Seattle would fall short in the NBA Finals against a legendary Chicago Bulls team in 1996, Karl would go on to successful stints with the Milwaukee Bucks and Denver Nuggets.

He’d win NBA Coach of the Year honors in 2013, but was curiously let go by Denver that same year.