Kevin Garnett has seen a lot in his Hall of Fame career-MVP seasons, championship runs, and the evolution of big men in the NBA. But even he admits that what Victor Wembanyama is doing right now? It’s something entirely different.
The 2008 NBA champion recently opened up about his offseason interactions with the Spurs’ 7-foot-4 phenom, and he’s not shy about wanting more time with the 20-year-old star. Garnett spent some time with Wembanyama this past summer, but according to him, it barely scratched the surface.
“We didn’t do anything,” Garnett said on KG Certified’s Ticket & The Truth podcast with Paul Pierce. “He wanted an exchange, and it was more like some intro [expletive]. He’s on a journey to seek knowledge.”
And that journey, Garnett believes, could take Wembanyama to places the league hasn’t seen before.
“He doesn't wanna be in that box of the French player, blah, blah, blah,” Garnett continued. “He’s trying to break that whole narrative. He’s changing the way we look at the five position.”
That’s high praise coming from a guy who helped redefine the power forward role himself. But Garnett’s not just talking about Wemby’s physical gifts-he’s locked in on the mental side of the game. The conversations between the two weren’t about footwork or post moves-they were about mindset, space, and simplifying the game at the highest level.
“I talked to him about simplifying things and dealing with space,” Garnett said. “He wants to be something outside of the box. He’s about to be something different that we have never seen.”
And if you’ve been watching the Spurs lately, you can start to see what Garnett’s talking about. San Antonio has quietly won five of their last seven games, and Wembanyama’s fingerprints are all over that stretch-rim protection, shot-making, and a growing comfort in orchestrating the offense.
But Garnett isn’t just offering praise-he’s offering a blueprint.
One of his biggest pieces of advice? Stay stateside in the summer. Specifically, L.A.
“Instead of going abroad when you come back from vacation-because you know what home looks like, right, you were born and raised there-you can always go back home,” Garnett said. “Spend a summer in LA, bro, go up to UCLA, because you know what’s up there? Everything you’re looking for.”
That “everything” includes some of the NBA’s best talent, who flock to UCLA’s legendary pickup runs during the offseason. For Garnett, that’s where Wembanyama can sharpen his edge-against seasoned pros, in a no-frills, high-level environment that tests your game and your grit.
“Go up to UCLA and play against that caliber of s-t for a whole week and see how you come out of there,” Garnett added.
It’s clear Garnett sees something special in Wembanyama-not just a unicorn, but a player who could stretch the limits of what a center can be in today’s NBA. And he wants to be part of that journey, not just as a fan, but as a mentor.
The Spurs host the Wizards on Thursday, and while it’s just another regular season game on the schedule, it’s another step in the evolution of a player who’s already turning heads across the league-and earning the respect of legends.