Lake Zurich’s Addie Leonard doesn’t mind playing with a black sleeve on her right knee and a black brace on her left knee.
Leonard had two knee surgeries — first on the right, then on the left — in a span of 11 months. So the 5-foot-10 junior guard is happy to be healthy and contributing to the Bears.
“It was really hard to just watch all my teammates play,” Leonard said. “I just wanted to be back on the court so badly and tried to do everything in my power, like my rehab, to try to get back sooner. I worked hard in practice to show I was able to get back out there.
“Being out, it made me realize how much I love basketball and want to play at the next level.”
Leonard was all over the court in a Class 4A South Elgin Regional semifinal game on Tuesday. She finished with six points, three rebounds, three steals and a blocked shot as fourth-seeded Lake Zurich defeated the 13th-seeded host Storm 36-20.
The Bears (21-10), who will play fifth-seeded Rolling Meadows (18-10) in the regional championship game at 6 p.m. Thursday after routing South Elgin (17-15), have lost just three games since Leonard was cleared for heavy minutes on Jan. 1. She played for the first time this season in a North Suburban Conference game against Lake Forest on Dec. 19.
Lake Zurich’s Addie Leonard (23) reacts after a win over South Elgin in a Class 4A South Elgin Regional semifinal game on Tuesday, Feb. 17, 2026. (H. Rick Bamman / News-Sun)
“Addie came back and was basically on a pitch count until Jan. 1,” Lake Zurich coach Chris Bennett said. “Since then, we’ve been a different team. She guards the other team’s best player. In my opinion, she’s the best defender in the conference.
“Her offense is developing, and when she sets her feet, she’s a really good shooter. She’s aggressive and plays at a different speed. She’s a physical kid and doesn’t do anything at half-speed.”
Leonard, who suffered her most recent knee injury during the flag football season, prides herself on playing tough defense and is averaging 3.2 rebounds and 2.5 steals. She guarded star Lily Fisher in the Bears’ 50-28 win over conference champion Libertyville on Jan. 28.
Leonard, an all-conference pick in both sports, is also averaging 8.7 points after making 19 3-pointers on 45.2% shooting, a team high.
“I feel like I can do a lot of stuff, like score and shoot and get other people opportunities, and I love to rebound,” she said. “I do a lot of different things.”
Lake Zurich senior point guard Layne Nordstrom agrees that Leonard sparks the Bears on both ends of the court.
“It’s like a whole different energy since she has gotten back,” Nordstrom said. “She’s always been our No. 1 girl to pick up the best player on the other team. It’s been a whole energy shift on defense. We get more stops.
“Offensively, she’s great in transition. She runs the floor so well and is super strong in the paint. She adds a whole new layer to our team.”
Lake Zurich’s Addie Leonard, right, secures the ball against South Elgin’s Taleah Banner during a Class 4A South Elgin Regional semifinal game on Tuesday, Feb. 17, 2026. (H. Rick Bamman / News-Sun)
Leonard has impressed junior forward Kaitlin Wahlund too.
“She has improved so much,” Wahlund said, “and watching her come back from her injuries was so inspiring for her teammates.”
Bobby Narang is a freelance reporter.