“It probably would have been a different level playing with Kobe Bryant”: Kevin Garnett reveals he was very close to joining forces with Kobe in LA before eventually joining the Boston Celtics

Celtics legend Kevin Garnett recently reveals the time he nearly ended up with Kobe Bryant’s Lakers before signing with the Boston Celtics.

LA Lakers legend Kobe Bryant was one of the best ever to play the game of basketball. In addition, he had a stacked resume of 18x All-Star, 15x All-NBA player, and 5x NBA Champion.

Meanwhile, Kevin Garnett was arguably the greatest power forward to play in the NBA. He also is a Hall of Famer, with a resume of 15x All-Star, 9x All-NBA player, and 1x NBA champion.

Both the players were at the height of their powers in 2007. Kevin Garnett wasn’t happy in Minnesota and wanted out. As a result, he was up for sale at the right price. As a result, Boston Celtics pulled the trigger on a blockbuster trade to land ‘The Big Ticket’ in Boston.

However, in a recent interview, Garnett revealed that the Celtics wasn’t his first choice and ‘had reservations’. In fact, he even talked about Kobe Bryant about the same. “The only problem: Kobe was touring China for Nike. However, Garnett wasn’t bothered enough bothered to discuss a future where they could be potential teammates.

Via GQ –

 “I needed to have a conversation with him. I couldn’t talk to Phil [Jackson, then coach of the Lakers] or none of that. I’m not a phone guy, you know what I’m saying? But it’s [Kobe], you know what I’m saying? It was just kind of water under the bridge. At least it felt like that.”

• On how close he was to becoming a Laker instead of a Celtic pic.twitter.com/2txb1edLj4

— Michael Pina (@MichaelVPina) November 10, 2021

Just imagine if Garnett had the patience and played the waiting time. A pick and roll with Kobe and Kevin Garnett. God bless the opponent defenders. However, as we know, it never happened, but a fan can dream.

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Kobe Bryant’s NSFW reply to Kevin Garnett joining the Celtics

In 2007, NBA Hall of Famer Kevin Garnett was traded from the Minnesota Timberwolves to the Boston Celtics. The ‘Big Ticket’ wanted to move to LA but couldn’t contact Kobe as he was away in China.

In a recent interview with GQ, Kevin Garnett reveals the first conversation he had with Bryant following his trade to the Celtics.

Late last year I flew to Minnesota and hung out with Kevin Garnett at his home. Needless to say it was a surreal 48-hour experience: https://t.co/rbCQc7UnBm

— Michael Pina (@MichaelVPina) November 10, 2021

Via GQ –

“‘YO, MAN, YOU WAS TRYING TO GET IN CONTACT WITH ME?’ ‘Man, get the f**k outta here.’ ‘NAH, NAH, I’M SERIOUS, MAN. I GOT THIS S**T LATE, MAN. DAMN MAN.’ ‘It’s all good.’

‘NAH, IT AIN’T GOOD, YOU IN THAT WRONG COLOR, MAN. WHAT THE F**K, MAN. HOW YOU GONNA GO TO BOSTON OF ALL PLACES.’ ‘Man, nah, you gotta chill.’”

It is quite clear that Kobe Bryant wasn’t happy with Garnett’s decision. One can’t really blame him, he just lost out on an arguably top-15 player of all time.

However, the Lakers did end up getting Pau Gasol, and won the championship in 2010, beating Garnett and the Celtics. Meanwhile, the Celtics and Kevin Garnett won the chip in 2008, along with Paul Pierce and Ray Allen, beating Kobe’s Lakers itself.

So, all is well that ends well.

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We won’t ever know for certain if Kobe Bryant and Kevin Garnett would have tasted championship success. However, with the level of talent they possessed, one wouldn’t put it past them to win multiple championships. Guess we’ll never know.

About the author

Joe Viju