Kevin Garnett Shocked by 14-Year-Old Kid Taller Than Shaquille O’Neal

One of the features that makes basketball players stand out, other than their athletic physique, is their height. Yes, that’s not the case for everyone, as we’ve seen smaller players shine in the NBA over the years. But then again, we’ve also seen players who don’t look all that athletic turn into beasts when the moment arrives. Long story short, height matters, especially to those who are already tall. So, imagine the shock when it turns out that a 14-year-old is taller than Shaquille O’Neal, the Los Angeles Lakers legend, who is 7’1″.

The 14-year-old in question plays basketball but stands at 7’4″, with nearly a decade of growth still ahead of him. In a clip that recently went viral, he was seen towering over his opponents, forcing ex-NBA stars like Kevin Garnett to take notice of this young sensation.

The prospect in question is Jeremy Gohier. His opponents, who laughably dwarf in comparison, don’t even challenge him for the jump ball. Why bother? Gohier can also dunk, which is almost unheard of for kids his age. People are fascinated by his size at such a young age. When Garnett caught wind of it, he compared Gohier to Shaq.

“Damn bro like SHAQ OUT HERE,” the Minnesota Timberwolves legend wrote on his Instagram Story. Admittedly, it’s how most former NBA players and even fans reacted when they first heard about the kid. 

It feels like Shaq is the bar for mind-blowing height. For instance, when he met University of Florida star Olivier Rioux, who stands at 7’9″, back in January, the Diesel had to look up to him. Fans were shocked, as they couldn’t believe how much taller Rioux was.

Rioux has not made it to the NBA yet. But if he does, he will be the tallest player ever in the league, a record that Gohier could eventually break, considering he still has so much time to surpass him. Gohier is still far from the NBA, or even college for that matter, but it takes a lot to get the attention of someone like Garnett. He moves well for his age and size and has excellent timing on his blocks. If he develops a jump shot, we could be looking at the next Victor Wembanyama.

Gohier is already taller than 90% of the NBA. It takes more than just height to be great, but with proper refinement, he could be the next big thing. Only time will tell. For now, he’ll proudly take the compliments from Garnett and continue to round out his game.