Not many young NBA fans understand just how dominant and imposing Kevin Garnett was in his prime.
Long before he finally agreed to leave Minnesota, he was one of the league’s driving forces, a one-man show on both ends of the floor who would compete hard every single night.
That’s why even Tyson Chandler looked up to him when he first entered the league.
In his recent appearance on All The Smoke with Matt Barnes and Stephen Jackson, the former Defensive Player of the Year praised Garnett for his intensity and how he never took any shortcuts in his career.
The Timberwolves failed to surround Garnett with the kind of talent he needed, yet he constantly led them to the postseason.
Not many players have been able to make such a huge impact on both sides of the court, especially late in their careers.
Simply put, the Boston Celtics would’ve never won that ring without Garnett’s pesky defense and tough-love leadership; they needed him as much as he needed to leave Minnesota.
He wasn’t there to make any friends, and he just wanted to instill fear into your heart every time you saw him, and it worked.
Garnett’s mentality separated him from the rest of the pack more often than not.
And while there could be some more talented two-way big men after him, none of them seem to compete as hard as The Big Ticket, one of the ultimate trash-talkers and most gifted defenders this game has ever seen.
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