Paul George Reminisces Over Trash Talking Tim Hardaway In Light Of ‘Uncles’ Kevin Durant And Gary Payton’s Interaction

Kevin Durant and Gary Payton’s trash talk a few nights ago, is being talked about a lot in the basketball community. Durant and Payton lovingly traded shots, with KD telling the Glove that he was the “8th man on the bench by the time he was his age”. And Clippers superstar Paul George addressed this iconic shouting match on the latest edition of his Podcast P program.

“That was two uncles right there. That was two uncles getting into it,” George said.

George was then asked whether he ever got into a shouting match with a basketball OG. He recalled a small tiff with Tim Hardaway Sr. during a game that he had against his son, Tim Hardaway Jr. The game was between the Clippers and the Mavericks in August 2020. He clarified that like Durant and Payton, it was all love.

“Senior was at the game. I think I fouled or got called for a foul. We were jawing back and forth a bit. It wasn’t on some trash-talking like that. We were chirping a little bit. It was same context as KD and GP…all respect and love but we was jawing back and forth a little bit,” George added.

Durant was asked about his jaw-jacking by the media as well. And he had some interesting words to say about it.

Durant says he has major respect for Payton

The former MVP recalled previously getting into it with The Glove during a Team USA practice, where he joked to GP that he couldn’t guard him. He would add that no matter what he said, Payton was always a great sport about it.

“GP is a great sport about it, one of my favorite players, someone I look up to and got major respect for,” Durant admitted.

Durant would take the conversation even deeper. He says that he loves that he can have this type of relationship with the golden era players, even referring to himself as their ‘little bro’.

“I love that I can have that rapport with the older generation of players. Let them know that I’m like little bro to them, I’ve always looked up to them my whole life. So yeah I’m going to talk a little sh*t to them. That was fun. I got major respect for GP.”

One thing is certain: Trash-talking has become a staple in the NBA’s history. Whether it’s players from today or those from the hard-hitting 90s, everyone is willing to talk a little smack.