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Ex-Clippers Trainer Sues Team Over Treatment Of Star Player

Randy Shelton, a former Los Angeles Clippers strength and conditioning coach, is suing the Clippers and team president Lawrence Frank. He is alleging wrongful termination, harassment, and unsafe treatment of star forward Kawhi Leonard. Shelton’s lawsuit, filed in Los Angeles County, is filled with claims of medical negligence, discrimination, and tampering that stem back to his recruitment by the Clippers in 2019. The former Clippers trainer is suing because, despite warnings regarding Leonard’s health, the Clippers pressured the star into playing while still injured, ultimately compromising Leonard’s well-being and leading to tensions within the organization and his wrongful termination.

Ex-Clippers Trainer Sues Team Over Unsafe Treatment Of Star Player

Tampering in Clippers’ Recruitment of Kawhi Leonard

Shelton first met Leonard at San Diego State University, where he trained him during his college career. Leonard kept his relationship with Shelton throughout his career. Shelton claims this close relationship was a key factor in the Clippers’ interest in hiring him, especiallt as they pursued Leonard as a free agent after his 2019 NBA championship with the Toronto Raptors. 

The lawsuit reveals that beginning in 2017, the Clippers allegedly held secretive meetings with Shelton. They were to gain insight into Leonard’s health and preferences, pushing the boundaries of NBA tampering rules.

The crux of Shelton’s claims is that he was recruited not solely for his coaching expertise but as a part of a strategy to get Leonard to Los Angeles. According to Shelton, he met with Clippers executives, where there were discussions about Leonard’s free agency much before the league would allow. Leonard ultimately signed with the Clippers in July 2019.

Kawhi Leonard’s Injury Management 

Shelton’s lawsuit also claims that despite initial promises, his role within the organization was marginalized, having minimal access to team resources and staff beyond Leonard. Shelton also claims that the Clippers mishandled Leonard’s injury management and ignored his suggestions for a more conservative rehab approach, especially after Leonard’s ACL tear in 2021. 

According to Shelton, Leonard’s injury should have required a full two-year recovery period. Instead, the Clippers allegedly pressured Leonard to return early, disregarding medical protocols and Leonard’s long-term health. As a result, Leonard only played 52 games in the season following his injury recovery. 

Included in his examples of negligence, the former Clippers trainer says in one game, the Clippers ignored Leonard’s visible concussion symptoms. He claims they neglected to follow NBA concussion protocols. Shelton says that his attempts to report these issues to the team were dismissed. 

Shelton says his multiple complaints went unheard. When he filed a written complaint about the situation, the Clippers dismissed it as unfounded. He was terminated without cause in July, just weeks after Leonard’s knee injury sidelined him once again.

Kawhi Injuries Still An Issue

In response to these allegations, the Clippers issued a firm denial. The team stated that Shelton’s claims were found to be without merit. That being said, there is no denying that Leonard’s injury issues persist. 

It is impossible to know if the Clippers had listened to Shelton how things may have turned out. We know Leonard has only played more than 60 games once during his tenure in Los Angeles. The Clippers have failed to make a championship run since acquiring Leonard, largely due to his injuries. Leonard is currently out indefinitely with knee inflammation.

Jeremy Kruger

Jeremy Kruger

"You're not tall enough to make the NBA," they said. They were right. But now Jeremy is doing the next best thing: sharing his passion for basketball with the world through his writing.

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