James Harden Backs Kawhi Leonard’s Row Against $11.2 Billion Company By Promoting His Own Sports Drink

Joseph Galizia | 26/04/2025
Los Angeles Clippers forward Kawhi Leonard (2) and Los Angeles Clippers guard James Harden (1) react during the second half against the New Orleans Pelicans at Smoothie King Center

Gatorade has been the staple hydration drink for athletes for as long as people can remember. Sure, there are competitors and alternatives, but much like Godzilla, Gatorade stands at the top of the mountain. So when Clippers superstar Kawhi Leonard removed the beverage from his table ahead of a recent press conference, it seemed like a shot at the king. Good thing James Harden has his teammate’s back.

Leonard jokingly told the media, “Kids don’t need to be drinking these,” after leading the Clippers to a victory over the Nuggets in Game 3 of their playoff series. Harden took the bit one step further for his postgame interview. Instead of a Gatorade, he had a Recover, the hydration beverage that he has partnered with in one of his many endorsements. The Beard further cemented this home by tweeting about it on X.

“Yall heard Kawhi,” wrote the 35-year-old southpaw, who added a laughing emoji and the Recovery tag. Along with the post, Harden shared a photo of himself rocking an all-white fit, with two Recovery drinks on the table next to him. He looked as good as he played in Game 3, which was stellar. Harden finished with 20 points, 9 rebounds, and 6 assists.

Gatorade is worth $11.2 billion, so it won’t be a huge hit if a couple of NBA icons don’t promote their drink despite their large followings. Harden does have a good nose for these things, as he was previously with Body Armor, who left him a big chunk of change after they got bought and sold.

As for Kawhi, this isn’t the first time he’s taken shots at Gatorade. Back in 2020, he removed one bottle off of his table before a different press conference, uttering, “not sponsored by Gatorade,” under his breath. Is it just pure disdain for the beverage?

No. The 33-year-old future Hall of Famer is just one of those aforementioned competitors. Leonard is a partner and a board member for X2 Sports Drink. The company was originally founded in 2013 and is growing in reputation thanks to the Klaw.

One thing is for certain: if Harden, Leonard, and the Clippers continue their winning ways, their NBA Finals appearance will be littered with every drink other than Gatorade.

Post Edited By: Sameen Nawathe
Gatorade James Harden Kawhi Leonard

About the author

Joseph Galizia

Joseph is a Las Vegas based actor and circus performer. For the last seven years he's had the pleasure of covering sports for multiple outlets, including the Lifestyles section of Sports Illustrated. In that time, he's conducted over 50 interviews with athletes, filmmakers, and company founders to further cement his footprint in the journalism world. He's excited to bring that skillset to the SportsRush, where he'll be covering the NBA news cycle.

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