Kawhi Leonard to announce shock retirement?

Sad news for Leonard fans. Speculation had been rife that the winner of the NBA Championship 2019 will announce his retirement from sports, at age 34, with immediate effect.

UPDATE 10/04/2026 : This story seems to be false. (read more)

Being a basketball player isn't fun anymore

“As we get older, there are phases of life that we enter into, and being a basketball player just isn't fun anymore,” he might have said, says a source who remained anonymous. Other reports hinted that he may branch out into other creative fields he is better at (and more interested in), though they didn't provide any details.

#ThankYouKawhi

For a little while on Thursday evening, #ThankYouKawhi was a trending hashtag on Twitter. As many fans reminisce and look back on all the unforgettable memories, some may wonder what about now made him make the decision.

“You’ve accomplished everything I ever dreamed of #ThankYouKawhi.”
— @DesireePlum, 9 Apr 2026

“Leonard wasn't retired?”
— @borisB0, 9 Apr 2026

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