Nearly Joining Forces With Kobe Bryant In 2007, Kevin Garnett Now Ponders Over What Could’ve Been For The Lakers

What if Kevin Garnett and Kobe Bryant teamed up in 2007? KG pondered that possibility by sharing a story on Instagram. A user called ‘meteo_kun’ posted a collage of Bryant and Garnett. On the photo, the user wrote, ”CAN YOU IMAGE THIS 2 TOGETHER IN LA?” The upper image from their younger days when KG played for the Wolves. In that photo, both players are giving a high-five to each other in what may have been an All-Star game.

The lower photo is from the NBA Finals where the two met twice when KG was a part of the Celtics. By sharing this story, Garnett would have wondered how these two would have fared had he joined the Lakers.

KG puts up a story of him and Kobe potentially teaming up pic.twitter.com/lkopD4OiZV

— tragicpatek (@tragicpatek) December 2, 2023

Both well-rounded players would have been a nightmare on either end of the floor. This would have surely made them the favorites to win each year. Both gave 100% at all times and never held back on either end of the floor. Their intensity is the stuff of legends. However, after years of frustration with the Timberwolves, the 2004 MVP joined the Celtics.

He reaped immediate rewards and won a championship in his first season with the Green Machine by taking down Bryant. This was also the season where he won the Defensive Player of the Year. Imagine if the Black Mamba had a defensive phenom like KG alongside him.

Why did Garnett choose the Celts over Kobe Bryant?

In 2022, he was on BET MGM’s show Unleashed and talked about the events that led him to Boston. The 2020 Hall-of-Famer wanted to join Bryant. His choices were trimmed down to the Celts and the Lakeshow. He stated, ”It was down to Boston and L.A. and I wanted to talk to Kobe, and I think he was in China at the time, doing something for Nike or his tour or something”. However, the Lakers legend didn’t return his calls when he expressed the desire to join him.

After waiting impatiently, the Forward decided that it was time to join the Celtics. When the Lakers and Celtics clashed the first time after the decision, Bryant asked why the Big Ticket didn’t join him. He then told him that he didn’t believe that Bryant’s personnel didn’t inform him about the call. But Bryant insisted that the Forward didn’t want to join him. To this, he replied, ”Yes I did. How you gonna tell me what I wanted? I chased you dog. What you want me to do man? You want me to come to China?”

Would a mere phone call flip the NBA history on its tail? What if Bryant reached out to Garnett and the two teamed up? We may have been looking at a different picture altogether.