Kevin Garnett says Kobe Bryant’s silence helped push him toward Boston instead of Los Angeles, a decision that ended up sending him down the path to an NBA title with the Celtics.
On The Out of Mud Podcast, Garnett said he had a real chance to land with the Lakers in 2007 after his time with the Minnesota Timberwolves. But the conversation around that move took a turn once he couldn’t get Bryant on the phone.
“I talked to Chauncey [Billups], and Chauncey was a real friend,” Garnett said. “We was in the summertime, we was all working out, and he was like, ‘Man, you got to move on, man.
I know you don't want to, but you're going to look up and you're going to have exhausted all your great years here, bro.' That was the first time I heard that where I actually listened to it, and it touched me.”
That advice opened the door for Garnett to look elsewhere, and Boston quickly became the fit. He said the move also gave him a chance to team up with Paul Pierce and Ray Allen.
“Then I just called Kevin [McHale] and said, ‘Yeah, let's go ahead and start to find another situation. This ain't working for me.'
So then him and Danny [Ainge] were friends, and they started that, and it made sense. I had played with Paul before, and I had played with Ray, but not officially.
Ray's from South Carolina, so I knew him. So I liked it.”
Garnett said the Lakers and the Phoenix Suns were both in play, but Bryant’s lack of response changed everything.
“Couldn't get Kobe on the phone,” Bryant said. “He was acting real arrogant.
So I was like, ‘You know what? I'm just going to [go with] them.'
And that's how I ended up in Boston. It was perfect.”
Before making the final call, Garnett reached out to Antoine Walker for advice about what it would take to make things work with Boston’s stars.
“I had to holler at Antoine [Walker] before I went to Boston, though. That's when he gave me the lick on P.
Like, ‘If you're going to play with Paul, Paul cares about these things.' He told me what worked with them and what didn't work with them, and I took that to heart.”
The choice worked out exactly as Boston hoped. In 2008, Garnett and the Celtics beat Bryant and the Lakers in six games to win the NBA championship.
Even with that rivalry on the court, Garnett and Bryant were never locked in bad blood. Garnett was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2021 alongside Bryant, who died the year before, and he said he felt deep gratitude for being honored with him.
In Other News...
Baylor Scheierman Is Earning Celtics Trust In A Different Way
Baylor Scheierman is starting to win trust in a way that has nothing to do with his shot. In the Celtics 125-124 overtime win over the Nets, he made his biggest impact with defense, hustle and playmaking, filling the kind of glue-guy role that can change a game even when the box score does not jump off the page.
What stood out most was how he handled Michael Porter Jr., giving Boston a strong, disciplined possession on a night when every detail mattered. Scheierman also kept possessions alive and helped the Celtics create extra chances, a reminder that his value to this group can come from energy and awareness as much as scoring, which is exactly the sort of versatility Boston can keep leaning on. [Read more 🡒]
Jaylen Brown Just Reframed A Celtics Story Fans Still Debate
Jaylen Brown pushed back on the latest round of Celtics chatter this week, denying reports that he ever tried to force Bostons hand with trade demands or a list of ultimatums. The noise had lingered after former player Brian Scalabrine floated the claim, and it was another reminder of how quickly a Brown storyline can spill into bigger questions about the franchise, even when the player himself has moved on to a different chapter with the Philadelphia 76ers.
Brown said his focus is on his current role in Philadelphia after the win over the Indiana Pacers, trying to keep the conversation centered on basketball instead of old debates about his standing in Boston. Scalabrine later walked back his original version of events, though he still took aim at Brown, leaving the broader discussion around the Celtics stars past and reputation very much alive. [Read more 🡒]
Celtics Guard Depth Suddenly Has A Rotation Question Fans Will Watch
Bostons guard rotation had already been a talking point with Payton Pritchard showing he can create his own offense in isolation and Jayson Tatum back from Achilles rehab with a recent 40-point night, so there has been no shortage of backcourt intrigue around the Celtics. Add in the ongoing chatter about Jaylen Browns future, and the groups depth suddenly feels like one of the more interesting roster stories hanging over the early part of the season.
Devin Carter has now rejoined the Celtics after recovering from mononucleosis, giving the team another familiar name back in the building as he finishes his recovery process. Boston converted his deal to a two-way contract ahead of the season opener, but the real question for now is when he will be ready to factor into the mix and how that timing might affect a guard room that is already carrying plenty of moving parts. [Read more 🡒]