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Did Kawhi Leonard Really Say 'Apple Time' Before Eating 12 Apples With Knife And Fork At Team Dinner? Exploring Viral Rumor
A viral tweet has resurfaced on the internet claiming that Kawhi Leonard once ate 12 apples at a Spurs team dinner after saying 'Apple time'. How accurate is this claim? Let's find out!
A viral post that re-surfaced on the internet recently claimed that during a San Antonio Spurs team dinner, Kawhi Leonard pulled out a dozen apples and ate them all with a knife and fork after telling head coach Gregg Popovich, "Apple time, apple time."
Kawhi Leonard is undoubtedly an interesting man for many reasons. Nearly six years ago, during his introductory press conference with the Toronto Raptors, he surprised everyone by revealing that, despite his stoic demeanor both on and off the court, he’s actually a fun guy who loves basketball.
While calling him a "fun guy" seemed a bit of a stretch, the idea of him eating 12 apples at once just to tell the world how 'fun' he is, well, doesn't seem too far-fetched, does it? But how true is this story? Let’s dig in…
READ MORE: Has Stephen Curry Ever Played in the Olympics? Find Out
Verdict: Fake News
Kawhi Leonard did not eat 12 apples at Spurs team dinner
During a 2020 appearance on Jimmy Kimmel's Late Night show, Kimmel asked Kawhi about the story. As expected, it was completely false. New York comedy writer Mike Camerlengo posted a screenshot of a fictional excerpt from a fake story about Leonard for an imaginary publication, which went viral.
Some people shared it because they thought Camerlengo’s tweet was from a real profile of the superstar. Others shared it because it was too funny to resist, even though saying "This is fake" can spoil a good joke. Regardless, “Apple time, apple time” became a rallying cry for Kawhi, one he never sought.
"Who came up with that story right there?" Kawhi asked Kimmel. "I do have an apple tree, but I didn't pick my apples and bring them to dinner."
While Kimmel recounted the story, Leonard smiled broadly, clearly amused by the whole thing. When the story went viral on social media, some fans actually believed it, perhaps because it highlighted how enigmatic Leonard really is.
Sending Kawhi Leonard home was a team decision, according to Team USA's Grant Hill
This isn't the first time Kawhi Leonard has been the subject of jokes. Remember in 2019 when an oral history of his days at San Diego State revealed his trash talk included "Board man gets paid"?
Those were good times, but they also led to fake stories about Leonard. For instance, after being subbed off Team USA's roster by Derrick White, some people falsely claimed they saw Kawhi in a strip club. That wasn’t true, either.
On the other hand, amid controversies, Team USA executive director Grant Hill confirmed that the team decided to replace Kawhi Leonard with Derrick White ahead of the 2024 Paris Olympics. The team coordinated with the Clippers and ultimately decided to send Leonard home.
In a press conference before a U.S. exhibition game against Canada, Hill mentioned that there was a significant effort by all parties to allow Leonard to stay. The Clippers star had missed most of the team’s first-round playoff series in May and was seen walking with a slight limp during Team USA training camp.
Hill said, “We just felt that we had to pivot, and not to get into the particulars, in terms of what went into the decision, but we just felt it was in our best interest, but also in the Clippers’ and Kawhi’s best interest, to move in a different direction.” He further said, “We tried. I think we all tried and we gave it a valiant effort, and unfortunately, we have to move forward.”
NBA stars naturally have limited opportunities to represent their countries in the Olympics. Leonard has never competed before, and a resurgent movement within the United States’ program likely motivated him to attempt to play as well.
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