Kevin Garnett Uses Kobe Bryant’s Greatest Struggles To Dish Out Advice

Kevin Garnett was known as a scary presence on the court during his NBA days. Retirement seems to have mellowed The Big Ticket a little, as he shared life-changing advice for aspirants across various industries. In doing so, he even referenced Kobe Bryant’s toughest struggles during his 20-year-long NBA career.

His suggestions drew inspiration from Bryant’s appearance on All The Smoke in 2020. During one segment on the podcast, the Mamba singled out his early years with the Lakers as one of the toughest periods of his journey. He recalled how his former head coach, Del Harris, had never trusted him enough to hand him a starting role.

The Philadelphia-born consequently started only seven of the 150 games he played in the first two seasons. This lack of opportunity took a mental toll on him, as Bryant said,

“At the beginning of the journey, it was not playing… I felt like my coach Del Harris at the time was trying to make sure he did not show favoritism to the young kid and as a result, he swung completely the opposite direction and doing things that weren’t really fair… So, my first two, three years were nightmare.”

The 18-time All-Star then shared how things eventually turned around for him. The Lakers’ small forwards, Rick Fox and Glen Rice, both sustained injuries ahead of the 1998-99 lockout NBA season. This left Harris with no choice but to rely on Bryant.

The 6ft 6 icon seized this moment. He started the season strong with five consecutive double-doubles. These standout performances solidified his position as a starter, as Bryant added,

“During the lockout season… Rick Fox had plantar fasciitis on both feet. He [Del Harris] wanted to play somebody else in front of me. Then that person got hurt. And then he had no choice but to start me at small forward… I think started with like seven straight double-doubles or something like that and then I have been in the starting lineup ever since.”

Bryant‘s perseverance during this challenging period showcased what it meant to be a true champion. Despite his frustration, he never lost sight of the bigger goal. Just over a decade after that, this mindset helped him become a five-time champion and an MVP.

Garnett subsequently used this story as an example to inspire his followers. The 48-year-old shared a clip of Bryant recounting those years on his Instagram story, adding,

“Always believe in the work you put in. Crazy how things start vs how it ends. Stay the course on your plan”.

This instance also showcased Garnett’s deep admiration for Bryant’s competitive spirit. Last year, he even dedicated himself to honoring the late great in a personal way. On The Stephen A. Smith Show, KG vowed to name a future son after ‘The Black Mamba’, saying,

“Man, I miss Kobe every day, man. I look up and we celebrate him like he is still alive and I love that so when I have another son someday, I don’t know when and where, but I’m gonna dedicate a son to Kobe, man. That’s on my life.”

This proved the unparalleled legacy Bryant built through his consistency. It also exemplified the pinnacle of NBA friendships, setting a high benchmark for camaraderie across the league.