NBA Hall of Famer Kevin Garnett thinks it’s time for many fans’ mentalities to transition when it comes to constantly referring to past basketball legends over the contemporary greats. In other words, NBA fans that invariably bring up Michael Jordan and Magic Johnson’s myriad championships are “missing out on greatness” still in the league today such as LA Lakers superstar LeBron James, Golden State Warriors sharpshooter Steph Curry or the latest superstar in the making from the San Antonio Spurs, Victor Wembanyama.
“The problem, I think, with today is that we are so hung up on the yesteryear of the culture and the history that built the league that, bro, we’re missing out on greatness right in front of us,” Garnett said emphatically on an appearance on the Stephen A. Smith show.
“LeBron James is 38 motherf—— years old, doin’ somethin’ we ain’t never seen. We got a whole 7’6″ Frenchman in the goddamn league. He’s a rookie, lookin’ like he’s a two, three-year-old player, lookin’ like he’s a guard. … Listen, Wilt Chamberlain is rolling over his grave right now if we told him a 6’10” power forward was playin’ center and jumps this high is the best –”
Garnett stopped himself short when speaking jocularly about the jumping ability (or lack thereof) of Denver Nuggets championship forward Nikola Jokic, who many, including Garnett himself apparently, consider to be the best player in the NBA today.
“Bro, we gotta get off this,” Garnett continued. “Michael Jordan, Magic [Johnson], they are the past. We gotta embrace this new ish. Bro, we ain’t never seen Steph Curry. We ain’t never seen nothin’ like Steph Curry. Steph Curry shoots from Mars, bro. We keep talkin’ bout Jerry West. Shoutout to Jerry West, was a super goon, did great things for the league, but yeah, we’re in a new time, bro. Jerry West ain’t never seen this type of range.”
Garnett was selected with the fifth overall pick in the 1995 draft, played in the NBA for 21 seasons, earning 15 All-Star team selections, a 2004 NBA MVP award and an NBA championship with the Boston Celtics in 2007. Because of all these accolades, Garnett knows a thing or two about a winning and championship mentality, and he says it’s time to stop comparing NBA greats of the past today to the contemporary greats, because it’s not what today’s players should be worried about.
“We’re missing out on greatness because we’re so hung up on those six championships,” Garnett continued. “You think Mike Jordan was thinking about Bill Russell when he was chasing six? No! He was talkin’ about Chicago.. f**k Olajuwon… he was doin’ Mike. We gotta embrace where we’re at. We got to start giving flowers out more.”
What do you think of the fact that Kevin Garnett thinks players like LeBron James, Steph Curry and Victor Wembenyama deserve more credit over past greats like Michael Jordan and Magic Johnson? Should NBA fans stop comparing contemporary greats to past greats and “start giving flowers out more?” Let us know in the comments.
Related Links:
Kevin Garnett, known for his versatile defensive capabilities during his time in the NBA, talks about how he’d defend against Nikola Jokic.
LeBron James and Steph Curry tribute video, “Appreciate Greatness while it’s here.”
