"You in that wrong color, man; What the f***, man?" - Kevin Garnett recalls how Kobe Bryant reacted on the former moving to the Boston Celtics
The late great Kobe Bean Bryant was not only one of the greatest players to ever grace the hardwood but was also the fiercest competitor any player had come across in a long time. Hall-of-Famer Kevin Garnett, who is himself a fierce competitor, has recently come out and spoken about an incident during his trade to the Boston Celtics which shows us how competitive Kobe was.
The Boston Celtics took a massive swing in 2007 to acquire Garnett from the Minnesota Timberwolves in return for four players and multiple picks. They aimed to create a superteam that featured the legendary forward and fellow Hall-of-Famers Paul Pierce and Ray Allen. Kobe Bryant, on the other hand, demanded a trade in 2007 after becoming frustrated with the Lakers' lack of willingness to surround him with the right pieces and almost got his wish before a trade to the Chicago Bulls fell through. L.A. later got Pau Gasol to appease Bryant, and both formed a formidable one-two punch that dominated the league for a while. However, after looking at Garnett's recent comments, it looks like Kobe had a different legendary forward in mind to partner up with.
Kevin Garnett on a profile with GQ's Michael Pina revealed that he had doubts about going to Boston. KG wanted to have a conversation with Kobe Bryant before making a final decision. However, with Bryant touring China at that point, the two could not get on a call. He later revealed Kobe's savage reaction to his trade to the Celtics. Here's how the conversation between the two went, according to Garnett:
“‘YO, MAN, YOU WAS TRYING TO GET IN CONTACT WITH ME?’ 'Man, get the fuck outta here.' 'NAH, NAH, I'M SERIOUS, MAN. I GOT THIS SHIT LATE, MAN. DAMN MAN.’ ‘It's all good.’ 'NAH, IT AIN'T GOOD, YOU IN THAT WRONG COLOR, MAN. WHAT THE FUCK, MAN. HOW YOU GONNA GO TO BOSTON OF ALL PLACES.’ ‘Man, nah, you gotta chill.’”
Kevin Garnett reveals what Kobe Bryant said to him after he was traded to Celtics
“YO, MAN, YOU WAS TRYING TO GET IN CONTACT WITH ME? ... YOU IN THAT WRONG COLOR, MAN. WHAT THE F---, MAN. HOW YOU GONNA GO TO BOSTON OF ALL PLACES."
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It would have been game over for the rest of the teams in the league if Kevin Garnett and Kobe Bryant had teamed up. Maybe Kobe would have equalled Michael Jordan's tally of six rings and established himself as the Greatest of All Time. Having said that, things worked out for both the Black Mamba and the Big Ticket with both having won rings post the trade.
Reliving the NBA Finals battles between Kobe Bryant and Kevin Garnett
Kobe Bryant and Kevin Garnett have been involved in heated battles with neither willing to back down. The three-year period between 2008-2010 saw the Lakers and Celtics at loggerheads, reigniting a storied rivalry that has been unparralled in sporting history.
Garnett and Bryant both put on a show during the 2008 NBA Finals, and Kobe averaged 25.7 points, 4.7 rebounds and five assists. Meanwhile, Garnett averaged a massive 18.2 points, 13 rebounds and three assists to help the Celtics win their first NBA title since the Larry Bird era. The Lakers had no answer for KG's physical dominance as he gobbled up rebounds and controlled the paint, leading to better opportunities for the C's. Kobe helped his team come close but was unable to see things through despite laying it all on the line.
The scars of the 2008 Finals were fresh on Bryant's mind and being the defending champion after winning the 2009 NBA championship, the Lakers came into round two of the bout, having the upper hand this time around. Kobe Bryant left no stone unturned as he dominated from the jump, averaging a whopping 28.6 points, eight rebounds, 3.9 assists and 2.1 steals to guide the Lakers to the NBA title despite it being yet another nail-biting series that went down to the wire.
Throwback to when Kobe Bryant scored 21 straight points in game 5 of the 2010 NBA Finals🐍♾ https://t.co/vOuV4st46w
Also Read: How much is Kevin Garnett’s Net Worth in 2021?