If there were a title for the most intense NBA player ever, it would undoubtedly go to Kevin Garnett. Countless players attest that facing Garnett almost always is a bad day in the making. Just ask Garnett’s old Brooklyn Nets buddy, Joe Johnson.
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Although they only played for one and a half seasons, Johnson is full of stories about their exploits.
In a recent guest appearance on FanDuel TV’s Run It Back, Johnson shed light on his favorite Garnett lore. Of course, it was all about the intensity and dedication the former MVP brought to the squad.
“I used to try to be one of the first ones in the gym,” Johnson revealed. ” I could never be the first one because he would always beat me.”
Typically, Johnson would only gain more motivation to show up earlier to the gym. But the condition he would find Garnett proved to him that the legendary forward had his number.
“By the time I get there, he’s already drenched in sweat, telling a story. When you see him and Paul Pierce interact the way they do, that is him,” Johnson proclaimed.
The rest of the crew reacted by bursting out into a laugh. They certainly weren’t the only ones.
Once Garnett heard word of Johnson’s comments, he took to his Instagram story to share his reaction.
“Iso you ain’t shhh,” Garnett said. “It be hot in there, you be sweating too.”
KG showing love up Joe Johnson pic.twitter.com/2wWDjDYbZV
— What are (W)NBA Celebs Upto? (@NBACelebsUpdate) July 22, 2025
Garnett sprinkled several laughing emojis throughout his response. He also gave Johnson his flowers and said, “One of my fav teammates.”
The seven-time All-Star had a similar passion for the game as Garnett, but was far more reserved in his approach to the sport. Regardless, given the accolades they both earned, it only makes sense how Garnett and he were able to hit it off.
Johnson is far from the only one to speak so highly of Garnett’s intensity. Earlier this month, Paul Pierce had revealed that Garnet’s intensity wasn’t restricted to the basketball court.
Pierce even claimed that Garnett would sometimes push himself to extreme lengths to do the job.
“We’re playing Dallas and Dirk is busting KG’s a**,” Pierce said on the Straight from Hart podcast. “KG’s like, ‘F**k that s**t! He called me a n***a.’ I’m like, ‘KG, he didn’t. I was standing right there. Don’t say that.’ He said, ‘Yes, he did, he said it in German!’”
It should be noted that Garnett doesn’t speak a word of German. That said, if getting riled up is how he’s become a legend, then who are we to claim it doesn’t work.
