NBA legend Charles Barkley says former MVP Russell Westbrook and soon-to-be Hall of Famer Kevin Garnett play harder than any other player he’s seen in nearly 40 years following the league.
Barkley delivered his comments Monday in a televised ESPN interview. Barkley, who played against Garnett for a few years prior to his retirement in 2000, was addressing the big man’s recent selection into the Basketball Hall of Fame (along with former Rockets coach Rudy Tomjanovich).
I used to hate that dude [Garnett]. Because you play him in like Game 26 in the season, or 52, or 82, he’s playing like they were all Game 7s!
I’m like, ‘Young fella, calm down!’ We’ve got 82 of these games to go. … I’ve been in the NBA for close to 40 years. Russell Westbrook and Kevin Garnett play harder than any two players I’ve ever seen in the NBA, in my opinion.
Fellow analyst and former NBA player Jalen Rose immediately said he agreed with Barkley’s assessment.
In his first season with the Houston Rockets (40-24), the 31-year-old Westbrook is averaging 27.5 points, 8.0 rebounds, and 7.0 assists.
The 6-foot-3 guard has grown more comfortable with his new team as the season has progressed, culminating with a line of 33.4 points (54.9% FG, 40.0% on 3-pointers), 7.3 rebounds, and 6.0 assists per game in February. Led by the nine-time All-Star, Houston went 9-2 in that month.
