Ahead of a practice session in February 2009, Boston Celtics head coach Doc Rivers instructed star forward Kevin Garnett to sit it out to rest his body. This directive was founded on sound logic. While The Big Ticket claimed a leader shouldn't miss practice, Rivers believed preserving the knees of an aging star prepared the team for the long haul.
This created a minor rift between the coach and the star. While Garnett followed Rivers' orders, the 2004 NBA MVP did everything he could to reiterate his philosophy by snagging an imaginary rebound.
The Big Ticket's revenge
Renowned sportswriter Jackie MacMullan detailed the crazy Celtics practice where the 2008 Defensive Player of the Year ridiculously mimicked power forward Leon Powe's movements to reiterate to Doc that the team needed him.
"Garnett, forbidden to take the floor by his own coach, had concocted his revenge: He would track the movements of power forward Leon Powe, the player who had replaced him in the lineup," MacMullan wrote , per ESPN. "As Powe pivoted, so did Garnett. As Powe leaped to grab a defensive rebound, Garnett launched himself to corral an imaginary ball."
Rivers warned that if KG did not stop his antics, he'd cancel the practice, which would hurt the entire team. The NBA Champion did not stop but doubled down instead.
"He actually began to anticipate Powe's movements, denying the entry pass to his invisible opponent before Powe thought of it," MacMullan wrote.
Fed up, Doc finally instructed the 15-time All-Star to go home. But the big man did not let up. He screamed, "Let's work! Let's work!" to his teammates while pounding his chest. Powe, both victim and spectator, shared his thoughts in hindsight.
"'What is he doing?' That's what we were saying," Powe said in 2015. "And at that point you start wondering, Is KG maybe a little crazy after all?"
Related: "They don't dissuade their kids from playing basketball" - Rex Chapman on why Europeans outshine white Americans in the NBA
Too unselfish
The Powe practice incident may paint KG as a tenacious individual who only cared about himself and his motivations. However, he is far from a selfish individual, as Doc claimed he always wanted the best for his teammates.
"And he said, 'Yeah, that's what I'm doing.' I said, 'No, no, we're saying move it to you so you can shoot it, not so you can pass it!'; Kevin was so unselfish. As a player, there were many times that I had to give them a number before the game as far as you have to take this many shots for us to win," Rivers explained.
KG is one of the best players in game history. His personality is so endearing and entertaining that whatever he does creates a timeless narrative. He is indeed one special individual.
Related: "Feels crazy, to be honest" - What Kevin Garnett said after becoming the youngest player ever to reach 1,000 NBA games
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