Leonard undergoes knee surgery: Clippers

 Kawhi Leonard #2 of the LA Clippers and Paul George #13 of the LA Clippers looks on during Round 2, Game 3 of the 2021 NBA Playoffs on June 12, 2021 at STAPLES Center in Los Angeles, California. Copyright 2021 NBAE Juan Ocampo/NBAE via Getty Images/AFP (Photo by Juan Ocampo / NBAE / Getty Images / Getty Images via AFP)

LOS ANGELES, United States (AFP) — Los Angeles Clippers star Kawhi Leonard faces a lengthy injury layoff after undergoing surgery to repair torn knee ligaments, the team said Tuesday.

Leonard missed the final eight games of the Clippers’ playoff campaign after injuring his right knee against the Utah Jazz last month.

The team initially said Leonard had sprained the knee but said in a brief statement on Tuesday he had suffered a partial tear of his right anterior cruciate ligament.

Typically torn cruciate ligaments take several months to recover from, meaning Leonard is likely to miss a substantial part of the 2021-2022 campaign.

The Clippers said no timetable had been set for Leonard’s return.

© Agence France-Presse