Kevin Garnett established himself as one of the standout athletes during his 21-year NBA career. KG was relentless, and everyone around attested to his nature.
Everything “The Big Ticket” did was help to push himself to the highest level. While playing for the Minnesota Timberwolves, Garnett won the MVP award and led the league in rebounding for four straight seasons, competing neck-and-neck with San Antonio Spurs superstar Tim Duncan to be the best power forward in the Association.
A fantastic teammate
What made Garnett genuinely remarkable was his relationship with other players. He was a vocal leader, especially when communicating on defense , but not at the expense of dismantling good feelings with his teammates.
Former guard Sam Cassell had a good relationship with KG. Despite sharing the court with other greats like Hakeem Olajuwon and Steve Nash, he attributed some of his game development to the 2004 MVP.
“He is the best teammate I ever had,” Cassell said of Garnett. “He really cares about his teammates, not just on the court, off the court. He made me a better ball player. I know for a fact I made him a better ball player because when I played with him in Minnesota, he was the MVP.”
Cassell, the current Celtics assistant coach, played alongside Garnett for two years at Minnesota and one season in Boston. During those stints, Sam became close to Kevin and formed a solid relationship as teammates and friends.
Related: Julius Erving believes no player is similar to him in the modern NBA: “I was a small forward, but I really played like a power forward”
Competitive nature
During his MVP-winning season, Garnett recorded a two-way performance against the Sacramento Kings in December 2003. The former DPOY posted 30 points and 20 rebounds in an overtime victory over the Kings. It wasn’t his numbers during the game that made Cassell truly respect KG, but his actions after it.
During a team ride to San Francisco to play the Golden State Warriors next, the Celtics assistant coach recalled Kevin grabbing the stat sheet and talking about the rebounds he didn’t get as he felt he could’ve gotten more that night against Sacramento.
“He was a dog man; he’s kind of crazy in his own little way. But he psyches himself up, so he can be a better player,” Cassell added.
In the 2003-04 season, KG averaged a career-high 13.9 rebounds and claimed the rebounding title alongside the MVP honors. Garnett won the next three rebounding titles until his last season with the Wolves. Kevin joined Boston in 2007 and formed an iconic “Big Three” alongside Paul Pierce and Ray Allen.
Thanks to his booming voice and relentless aura, the former high school prodigy is remembered as a one-of-a-kind player who could thrive in any era.
Related: "Homeboy, fight on the screen. I'm going be here to protect you" – Sam Cassell on how Kevin Garnett boosted his confidence on defense
Local News
Comments / 0