Michael Jordan is not the kind of guy you want to try and test. No matter how good of a game you are having, stifling with him would only result in your own demise – on the court. Kevin Garnett learned this the hard way.
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Young KG was no slouch though. He knew one thing early, to challenge your heroes and to not back down from it. There was no doubt that when he would meet Michael Jordan, he would challenge him.
Kevin was one of the hottest prospects out of high school. And right when he entered the league, one thing was clear, he was going to talk trash to you. But he should have held his tongue against Mike.
Michael Jordan destroyed Kevin Garnett after the Timberwolves star challenged him on a play
The apprentice should not challenge the master unless they are sure they will beat their teacher. Kevin made this mistake early on. And he repented almost immediately. There was no way Michael Jordan would give up on a play after getting challenged.
Kevin recalled the moment when he thought he could get inside the mind of a player – but not MJ. Speaking on his KG-certified podcast, he said ” I did that with MJ one time dog, gimme that s**t, sauced him. No bullshit, this is a real story, MJ called the same play. I was right here in front of him, I blinked, my eyes opened and MJ was at the cup like….”
The time I picked Michael Jordan and thought I was in his head… it ain’t go as well as imagined pic.twitter.com/Ap0WD1GNan
— Kevin Garnett (@KevinGarnett5KG) April 29, 2023
The idea is that you don’t try tricks with MJ or try to talk trash. He will eviscerate you. Despite the humiliation, both MJ and KG have mutual respect for each other.
Michael Jordan’s game was what Kevin Garnett molded after
Garnett grew up idolizing Jordan and modeled his game after him. He even wore Jordan’s signature shoes during his high school days. When Garnett entered the NBA in 1995, he had the opportunity to face off against his hero.
However, as Garnett’s star began to rise, tensions between the two began to surface. Jordan, a notoriously competitive player, was known for challenging and pushing his opponents, and Garnett was no exception. The two often engaged in intense trash talk on the court. And Garnett was not afraid to stand up to Jordan.
Despite their rivalry, the two eventually developed a friendship off the court. They bonded over their shared love of the game and their competitive drive, and Jordan even invited Garnett to join his Jordan Brand team in 2010. The two have been seen together at various basketball events, and Jordan has spoken highly of Garnett’s skills and work ethic.
