"It's funny cuz PG asked me if I had the bubbles before the game, like, my stomach" - Kawhi Leonard issues hilarious response when asked about pre-game nervousness

Kawhi Leonard made his return to basketball. The LA Clippers superstar played 16 minutes in the preseason game against the Portland Trail Blazers on Monday night. Leonard finished with 11 points, four rebounds, two assists and two steals as the Clippers managed a 102-97 win.

The two-time champion and five-time All-Star was asked whether he felt any nerves or any butterflies in his stomach before the game. Leonard offered the following hilarious response to the question:

"No, it was funny cuz PG asked me if I had the bubbles before the game, like, my stomach. I'm like, 'No.' There might be a little wing in there floating around. But like I said, I felt the same way as if I approached any other game, today.

"I felt like I was mentally prepared. I felt like the training staff, the coaches, the trainers, the doctors, they all did a great job of getting me to this point. It's not over yet. It's still going to be a process for me to get better. I'm just enjoying it."

But overall, the return to basketball was a "great" experience for Kawhi Leonard. He elaborated:

"Just being able to put all that hard work that I did throughout the, 14, 16 months. Just able to put it to test and playing against NBA talent, it was good. Just being out there with the guys and talking, I missed it. It was a great experience for me."

Speaking on his limited minutes, Leonard said:

"Obviously, I am not going to be playing 35 minutes, 38 minutes to start. So, it is going to be a little shaky early, probably. But like I said, it is a journey, it's a process, and that is what I am about."

Kawhi Leonard plays first NBA game in 476 days

The last time Kawhi Leonard played an NBA game was on June 14, 2021. It was in Game 4 of the LA Clippers' second-round playoff series against the Utah Jazz. He injured his right ACL and was left recovering and rehabbing for the past 16 months.

Although the Clippers made it past the Jazz, they were eliminated in six games by the Phoenix Suns in the 2021 Western Conference finals.

While there was considerable speculation that Leonard might return late last season, he didn't. In Leonard's absence, the Clippers failed to make the playoffs. They lost two games in the play-in tournament, first to the Minnesota Timberwolves and then New Orleans Pelicans.

Kawhi Leonard's return and the signing of John Wall have deemed many to call the LA Clippers the favorite in the West. With their already deep roster, the Clippers look like one of the most formidable teams in the entire NBA.