Hall of Fame Boston Celtics big man Kevin Garnett once sat down with GQ’s Michael Pina to talk about his legendary career and upcoming Showtime documentary “Anything Is Possible,” and in the course of the interview, quite a few stories were told worthy of their own singular treatment.
But given the sole championship of Garnett’s career was won with the Celtics, one story in particular told by The Big Ticket stands out — namely how he was very nearly a Los Angeles Laker, with the primary determining factor having been where Lakers Hall of Fame guard Kobe Bryant was when KG wanted to talk about joining the team.
Or more precisely, where he wasn’t.
Can you name all of the top ten rebounders for the Celtics in playoff history? Better yet, can you do it in order? https://t.co/ke6nRjuwRz
— The Celtics Wire (@TheCelticsWire) October 5, 2023
Garnett knew he would be traded from the team where he’d spent every minute of his career playing up to that point, and had the final say as to where he’d be going based on the leverage his expiring contract gave him.
He had already eliminated the Steve Nash-led Phoenix Suns due to the front office’s decision not to retain a number of players KG wanted on the roster should he be dealt there, and had narrowed the field to L.A. and Boston.
The Big Ticket was inducted into the Naismith Memorial Hall of Fame on May 16, 2021. https://t.co/Czf1PtA62X
— The Celtics Wire (@TheCelticsWire) October 5, 2023
Being the sort of person who needed to work things out face-to-face, the fact that Bryant wasn’t in the US — he was on tour in China on behalf of Nike — did not sit well with the future Celtics champion, swinging the pendulum Boston’s way as a result.
“I needed to have a conversation with him. I couldn’t talk to Phil (Jackson, coach of the Lakers at that time) or none of that. I’m not a phone guy, you know what I’m saying? But it’s (Kobe), you know what I’m saying? It was just kind of water under the bridge.”
“At least it felt like that,” Garnett added.
It’s no coincidence this team has the most retired jersey numbers with 17 banners hanging alongside them as of Oct. 2023. https://t.co/Vf18byY6ln
— The Celtics Wire (@TheCelticsWire) October 5, 2023
The Big Ticket would sign with the Celtics as a result of that missed connection, but not too long after would finally get in touch with Bryant — and Garnett was not happy when they did.
“Man! I got this (expletive) late, man. Damn, man,” Garnett relates Bryant as having said. “It’s all good,” came his reply. “Nah, it ain’t good. You in that wrong color, man. What the (expletive), man?” asked Kobe. “How you gonna go to Boston of all places?”
Celtics Wire celebrates the 48 members of the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame with ties to the Boston Celtics franchise. https://t.co/Cb3G5oP79G
— The Celtics Wire (@TheCelticsWire) October 4, 2023
Garnett couldn’t help but wonder what it would have been like to have played with Bryant of course — “it probably would have been a different level playing with him,” said KG — but fate had other plans.
Not that we are complaining given how things played out instead.
Can you name the best postseason distributors in Boston Celtics history? Better yet, can you do it in order? https://t.co/mTlcLd1wyN
— The Celtics Wire (@TheCelticsWire) October 4, 2023
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