Posted on 04/26/2025 10:05:37 AM PDT by nickcarraway
‘Kids Don’t Need To Be Drinking These’ – Kawhi Leonard Takes a Dig at Popular Drink Brand April 25, 2025 | 7:51 PM EDT
The Los Angeles Clippers took care of business with a 117-84 win in Intuit Dome’s first-ever playoff game. Kawhi Leonard posted a double-double, notching 21 points, 11 rebounds, and six assists in the Clippers 34-point rout over the Denver Nuggets. During Kawhi’s postgame press conference, he seemed to take a subtle jab at an iconic sports drink.
Kawhi Leonard Takes a Shot at Gatorade, an NBA Sponsor Gatorade has made a name for itself in the sports industry as the drink that “fuels the athlete”. However, Leonard seems to think differently. Leonard stepped to the podium for his routine postgame press conference.
Normally, there will be Gatorade bottles strategically placed for sponsorship purposes. On his way up to the podium, Leonard removed the Gatorade bottles and said, “Kids don’t need to be drinking these.”
History of Gatorade PepsiCo acquired Gatorade in 2001 when it merged with the Quaker Oats Company. This acquisition added the famous sports drink to PepsiCo’s portfolio of brands.
As of April 2025, PepsiCo has a market cap of $182.64 billion, according to NASDAQ. This makes PepsiCo the world’s 75th most valuable company by market cap, according to their data. Market capitalization is the total market value of a publicly traded company’s outstanding shares and is used to quantify a company’s worth.
Surely, Gatorade is doing well financially, and Kawhi’s comments won’t hurt their bottom line, but is there a bigger trend of athletes not liking Gatorade?
Athletes’ Publicly Shunning Gatorade NBA star Klay Thompson has publicly shown his disapproval for Gatorade as well. During a press conference in 2017, Thompson, then with the Golden State Warriors, flipped over a bottle of Gatorade, causing it to fall off the podium.
This also isn’t Leonard’s first time disassociating himself with the sports drink. During the 2020 NBA All-Star Weekend in Chicago, Leonard again removed a bottle of Gatorade, mumbling under his breath, “not sponsored by Gatorade”.
The NBA’s biggest star, LeBron James, has also publicly shunned Gatorade. James used to be a partner with Gatorade but ended up switching to Powerade, one of Gatorade’s biggest competitors. Since Gatorade is the official drink for the NBA, James had to drink Gatorade during games. However, in order not to be associated with the brand, he would peel off the Gatorade tag before drinking it.
During the 2014 NBA Finals, King James cramped up, which caused the relationship between LeBron and Gatorade to be tarnished. Gatorade took to social media to poke fun at Powerade and LeBron, but later apologized. LeBron responded with a subtle dig, not mentioning Gatorade by name, “I don’t care about that sports group, the drink group that I’m not even going to say their name. I’m not going to give them a light in The Finals…”
Although there are instances of athletes showing their dislike for Gatorade, the famous sports drink has a plethora of notable athletes on its roster. Gatorade has sponsorships with global athletes like Luka Dončić, NBA champion Jayson Tatum, WNBA Rookie of the Year Caitlin Clark, and the arguable GOAT Michael Jordan, to name a few.
ROFL
Met Dr.Cade when he and investors were introducing another sports drink which would aid intensive multi-day workouts and replace amino acids for rapid muscle recovery. Several decades ago.
Dr. Cade was a nephrologist interested in treating/researching the effect of kidney malfunction on schizophrenia. The U. of FL sued Cade for use of the medical library in developing Gatorade. He had a full laboratory in his basement and their case was a real stretch- cause he developed the electrolyte replacement drink on his own, with his own knowledge. The U. of FL continues to this day from the award of that suit of 1 penny per gallon equivalent Gatorade (powder or liquid branded product sold by whatever company has bought it since). A heck of a lot of royalties.
Sports teams dilute Gatorade 50:50 or more. Kids don’t know this and the companies that have owned the product don’t let the public know. This was how the U of FL originally used the product under the guidance of the inventor, Robert Cade, MD, nephrologist. Heavy sugar and electrolyte is damaging to the kidney and this was the main point in using in sports and training.
Can also make your own Gatorade and adjust the sugar down a bit. And yes they still make unsweetened KoolAid, can find it at Walmart.
Homemade Gatorade with Kool Aid
Homemade Gatorade made with Kool-Aid is a popular and cost-effective alternative to store-bought sports drinks. Here’s a recipe that uses Kool-Aid as a base:
Prep Time: 5
Cook Time: 30
Servings: 8
Temperature: Not applicable
Ingredients:
1 package Kool-Aid (unsweetened): 1 (unsweetened)
Sugar: 8 tablespoons (113 grams)
Salt Substitute containing potassium chloride: 1/8 teaspoon (0.6 grams)
Water: 2 quarts (1.9 liters)
Equipment Needed:
Large pitcher
Measuring cups and spoons
Whisk or spoon for mixing
Instructions:
Dissolve the unsweetened Kool-Aid package in the water.
Add sugar and stir until completely dissolved.
Stir in the salt substitute until fully mixed.
Taste and adjust sweetness if needed.
Chill in the refrigerator until ready to serve.
Safety Notes: Ensure all ingredients are at room temperature before mixing. Avoid using tap water if it has a strong chlorine taste or odor.
Substitutions: You can use honey or agave syrup instead of sugar for a sweeter, more natural taste. Replace the salt substitute with regular salt if preferred.
Storage: Store in a sealed container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
Pro Tips: Adjust the sweetness to your taste. Adding a small amount of lemon juice can enhance the flavor.
This recipe provides a close approximation to commercial Gatorade at a fraction of the cost.
For his one season with the Toronto Raptors in the 2018-2019 season Leonard was legendary. Here is the only game 7 buzzer beater in NBA playoff history on his way to a championship. 4 bounces on the rim before dropping.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=75iExVNvrWw
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