NBA legend Kevin Garnett, known throughout his career for his intense passion and competitiveness, recently offered a deeply personal reflection on his journey—from his challenging youth to the highest echelons of professional basketball and the legacy he shares with fellow greats.
Basketball as a “Safe Haven”
Garnett opened up about how basketball was more than a sport; it was an essential refuge. “Sometimes I have to pinch myself,” he admitted, reflecting on his life’s path. “Basketball actually took me away from all that and that’s why I will forever be in love with the game of basketball just because it was my escape. It was my wake up to reality.”
He likened the creative process on the court to an artist, expressing himself through “a dribble or a spin, or through a fadeaway.” For Garnett, the game was “totally my safe haven.”
A Shared Path with Allen Iverson
The Hall of Famer drew a parallel between his life and that of fellow NBA icon Allen Iverson, noting they both faced similar struggles. He praised Iverson for never giving up on his dream and finding “structure” under coach John Thompson.
Garnett’s own transformation came after moving from South Carolina to Chicago. “I went to Chicago from South Carolina; Wolf gave me structure and he gave me the belief that basketball was fun again,” he said. “He took me out of that dark cloud for a little bit. He gave me confidence.” He summed up their parallel journeys as finding “a pot of gold at the end of the rainbow.”
The Unforgiving Polish of Chicago
Garnett credits the move to Chicago for preparing him for the NBA. Coming from a small town, the “big city” competition was transformative.
“Chicago has ex-NBA players walking around, you got players that didn’t make it, players that played in college that are really good,” he explained. The hostile environments and sheer talent forced him to “go to another level.”
“When I got to the league I felt that I was prepared for the league,” Garnett stated, calling Chicago a second home. “I like to think that I polished my craft in Chicago.”
The Power of Confidence: Shout-Out to Sam Cassell
When asked about former Minnesota teammate Sam Cassell, Garnett didn’t focus on stats, but on the guard’s unwavering self-belief.
“He’s one of the MOST confident people that I’ve met in my life,” Garnett emphasized. Cassell, a two-time champion with Houston early in his career, brought that winning mentality to the Timberwolves. Garnett recalled Cassell’s defiant response when reminded of the team’s playoff struggles: “I don’t give a shit about your history! Get outta here!”
“And we did,” Garnett laughed, referring to their Western Conference Finals run in 2004. “Sam Cassell is one the BEST teammates that I ever had. Shout out to 2 SS’s.”
The Lakers Near-Miss and Boston’s Best Opportunity
Reflecting on his departure from Minnesota, Garnett revealed that the Boston Celtics weren’t the only destination considered.
“I probably would’ve ended up going to the Lakers,” he admitted, though he jokingly said he was “waiting on Kobe to come back from China” before making a decision. Ultimately, the opportunity in Boston proved too good to pass up.
“Playing with Paul Pierce and Ray Allen wasn’t a bad choice so I felt like Boston was my best opportunity,” he stated, noting that the addition of Ray Allen was “a no-brainer.”
The Superpower of the Mind Game
Garnett’s notorious intensity was rooted in his mental approach to the game.
“Mentally if you couldn’t handle it I would want to destroy you mentally first,” he confessed. He believed that while some opponents might be more athletic, “mentally I found that most were weak in the league. Very early I leaned on that. That was probably my super power: Talking somebody out their game and putting doubt in their mind.”
Sharing a Legacy with Legends
Garnett was inducted into the Hall of Fame alongside Kobe Bryant and Tim Duncan, an honor he still processes.
“I never would’ve thought that I would be a Hall of Famer. You don’t start playing basketball for the accolades and all that,” he said. He expressed deep humility to be included in that class: “I’m just privy to be part of the legacy of all three of us if I’m being honest.”
Ultimately, Garnett concluded that basketball had thanked him “in more ways than one,” particularly by allowing him to see the world and entertain fans. “They’ve forget about their lives, they’ve forgotten about what happened to them that day… they’re focused on you and that’s kind of the biggest hooray.”
