"He and I agreed never to be cool on the court" - Chris Webber on his duels with Kevin Garnett

Like the rest of the NBA, Hall of Fame power forward Chris Webber knew early on that Kevin Garnett was also a fierce competitor. Due to their many similarities, C-Webb and KG shared a unique bond off the court. However, both legendary players understood that they had to set their friendship aside as soon as they laced up against each other.

"He and I agreed never to be cool on the court," Webber told Bleacher Report of Garnett in 2015.

KG's intensity was as real as it gets

It didn't take long for Webber to notice Garnett's remarkable intensity as a player. He recognized that KG's emotions ran high in the heat of competition, and his desire to win sometimes overridden personal connections with other NBA players. C-Webb did not have any problems with that.

In fact, instead of clashing with "The Big Ticket," Webber admired Garnett's rawness and passion for the game. He implied that other NBA players tend to overdo things to prove their intensity and mental toughness. Still, in KG's case, everything was authentic.

"He wasn't a fake rah-rah guy. An actor, a liar, can't do that much. To cuss yourself out that much isn't possible," Webber added of KG.

Related: "My head hurt for like two days" - When Charles Barkley learned not to drink beer with Larry Bird

KG knew if C-Webb was steaming

Over time, Garnett and Webber became two of the most dominant power forwards of their time. Season after season, the pair of perennial All-Stars engaged in all-out duels every time their teams matched up against each other.

It was during Webber's tenure with the Sacramento Kings when his rivalry with KG reached its peak. In 2004, Garnett was crowned as the league's MVP. Though C-Webb was happy for him, "The Big Ticket" felt that the former Michigan Wolverene used it as extra motivation to torch him during their playoff matchup that year.

"I remember when I got my award, me and Webb. It was cool, but I could feel it… I looked down there, and I saw the smoke coming from his nostrils," Garnett once said about Webber on 'Ticket & The Truth.' "Second round, what's happening? We didn't say anything to each other, but we both were speaking with energy… In his first post-up, I said, 'Oh sh*t.'"

Their ability to separate personal relationships from the game is essential in the NBA. Webber and Garnett exemplified that balance by showing that true sportsmanship and friendship can coexist even in the most competitive environments.

Related: “Today, the basketball gods smiled on the Nets” – Brooklyn owner upon acquiring Kevin Garnett and Paul Pierce in 2013