Los Angeles Clippers forward Kawhi Leonard. Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images

NBA makes major decision after Kawhi Leonard’s All-Star snub

Originally posted on Larry Brown Sports
By Matt Wadleigh | Last updated Feb 3, 2026 7:10 PM ET

Los Angeles Clippers star Kawhi Leonard is having an excellent season, but he was surprisingly not named to the All-Star team.

While fans were upset about Leonard’s All-Star snub, things changed on Tuesday. NBA Commissioner Adam Silver named Leonard an addition to the U.S. player pool for the All-Star Game.

This year’s All-Star Game is in a new format. It features two teams of U.S. players and one team of international players, which will compete in a round-robin tournament.

Leonard was initially left off the roster despite averaging 27.6 points with 6.1 rebounds and 3.6 assists in 36 games this season.

According to ESPN’s Shams Charania, Leonard’s addition brings the U.S. player total up to 16, which is the minimum required for the new format.

LA Clippers forward Kawhi Leonard has been named by NBA Commissioner Adam Silver as an addition to the U.S. player pool for the 2026 NBA All-Star Game. pic.twitter.com/DBjfA70Mf2
— NBA Communications (@NBAPR) February 3, 2026

⭐️ The 2026 NBA All-Stars ⭐️ pic.twitter.com/DaOg0TW1Fp
— NBA Communications (@NBAPR) February 1, 2026

This year’s All-Star Game is taking place at Intuit Dome in Inglewood, Calif., which is the brand-new home of the Clippers, making Leonard’s absence from the initial roster selection even more surprising.

This will be the seventh All-Star appearance for Leonard during his career.

Now, Leonard is officially an All-Star, and the teams will be selected on Tuesday night with the game set for Feb. 15.

This article first appeared on Larry Brown Sports and was syndicated with permission.

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