My favorite story that didn't make the final cut: There's an interview where KG's asked about what colleges he considered going to after high school. When asked "why those schools," he starts talking about their defensive philosophies being similar -- "head on a swivel, front the post" stuff. You know, the normal things a high school kid looks for in a college.
@charl_lee3 жыл бұрын
KG just saw the game different💯
@thetrib13 жыл бұрын
that's amazing!
@OjoRojo403 жыл бұрын
Somebody forgot he played with Marbury and Sprewell........
@steelwall43963 жыл бұрын
Whatre your thoughts on how KG impacted his teammates through that hot revving engine? I noticed you didn't mention that part but surely it had a massive impact too. Those KG Celtics feel like a March madness Cinderella. Even in blow outs that bench is losing its mind, hustling, and letting Doc run the show
@briannk37203 жыл бұрын
Dear Lord Jesus, I know that I am a sinner, and I ask for Your forgiveness. I believe You died for my sins and rose from the dead. I turn from my sins and invite You to come into my heart and life. I want to trust and follow You as my Lord and Savior. In Your Name. Amen.
@soogasooga3 жыл бұрын
If shaq is your only mismatch, then you're a god- level player.
@guillermovazquez10843 жыл бұрын
Yeah basically lol
@domination48923 жыл бұрын
@@guillermovazquez1084 Maybe wilt 🤔🤷♂️
@guillermovazquez10843 жыл бұрын
@@domination4892 perhaps, but Wilt wasn't there Shaq was
@bobbysbluebooster3 жыл бұрын
Tbf, Shaq was a mismatch problem for everyone
@brianscalabrine22253 жыл бұрын
@@bobbysbluebooster that's the point
@gamemeister273 жыл бұрын
His mind was definitely a huge part of his defense. I remember watching 40 year old KG blowing up plays on defense with nothing but intelligence and length.
@Bankai21693 жыл бұрын
This. KG gave 100% effort 100% of the time
@fhantasm3 жыл бұрын
40 year old KG also posterized prime Blake Griffin.
@yd8563 жыл бұрын
@@fhantasm he got a tech for that lmao.
@fhantasm3 жыл бұрын
@@yd856 worth it! KAT was celebrating that shit like as if he dunked on Blake lmao
@ITSYABOIDESl3 жыл бұрын
It feels like a lot of people forget about basketball IQ when talking about older players like Bird, Bill, KG etc.
@mojohvncho54183 жыл бұрын
As someone who never got to see KG in his prime, i appreciate these videos
@enaidealukal41053 жыл бұрын
Oh man he was such a joy to watch when he was younger, before his knees gave out on him- imagine all the intelligence of old KG, but with legit elite athleticism. He was scary.
@RobertsLyric3 жыл бұрын
May I ask how old are you?
@enaidealukal41053 жыл бұрын
@@RobertsLyric 36, I started genuinely watching/following the NBA a couple years after the Timberwolves drafted KG, right around the time he was making the jump from interesting young player to bonafide stud. Best period in Timberwolves history by a mile, was KG's prime.
@RobertsLyric3 жыл бұрын
@@enaidealukal4105 oh ok
@tchalla78283 жыл бұрын
I did and boy was it amazing. I still remember him vividly going up against Shaq/Kobe during their heyday, putting up a legendary game 7 performance against the Kings I believe and just being an all-around menace carrying a decent Minnesota team further than they have ever been till this day. A past his prime KG being the linchpin of that dominant 08 Celtic team points to just how many rings he could have won were those Wolves team more talented.
@jjh29203 жыл бұрын
KG is generally underrated because his prime years were wasted playing on bad teams. Only when his prime was coming to an end did he actually have a good team around him on the Celtics. If KG was fortunate enough to have a good team aorund him in his prime, he'd most likely have more than one ring and be ranked much higher.
@SWANK-SAN3 жыл бұрын
Agreed
@thomasbrady38273 жыл бұрын
Agreed, still worse then Duncan though
@mrmacross3 жыл бұрын
If he never blew out his knee, I think he has two or three rings.
@onlyfacts31783 жыл бұрын
his prime years werent spent on bad teams, he HAD a great team when he was winning the MVP..and dont forget that he was getting those MVPS because of the fact that he played on teams that allow him to have those stats..LIKE Kevin LOVE had when he was there..... KG had a few seasons on bad teams like almost everyone in the NBA...
@mrmacross3 жыл бұрын
@@onlyfacts3178 As said in the video, he didn't play with great playmakers who could set him up or feed him in the right spots. In his one MVP year, the Wolves were the #1 seed in the West, and when you combine team success like that with Garnett's stats, it's hard not to win over MVP voters.
@maradonad10s993 жыл бұрын
Mind blowing stat; 40 YO KG on in Minnesota played only about 12 MPG.... The Wolves had the best Drtg in the NBA in those 12 minutes and the worst Def. Rtg when KG sat. Thats amazing and sad at the same time.
@yonguicho26963 жыл бұрын
Really? Amazing
@dieverletzten61713 жыл бұрын
Yeah it's crazy to think about his peak and then you look at his support in those season: old Cassell, old Sprewell, Szczerbiak. It's a shame he never got any prime players.
@moneyman92953 жыл бұрын
@@dieverletzten6171 his best teammate chance was wit Starbury or Billups
@gamemeister273 жыл бұрын
@@moneyman9295 and that was before his peak.
@injusticeanywherethreatens48102 жыл бұрын
where did you read those defensive rating numbers!?
@connorlothrop58713 жыл бұрын
8 minutes in, concerned he's gonna run out of way to compare Kev to an octopus
@ThinkingBasketball3 жыл бұрын
Narrator: He did
@connorlothrop58713 жыл бұрын
@@ThinkingBasketball and not for lack of trying either. mad respect
@Knealeriley3 жыл бұрын
2:10 “tentacles”
@linkonedgell8943 жыл бұрын
Dont worry he will never run out of ways to compare KG to an octopus
@hunterhenryk3 жыл бұрын
If you cut off KG's arms, they'll still keep trying to block shots.
@williamlopez37873 жыл бұрын
Garnett seems like one of the only players in nba history who would be perfect in both a small ball and a supersized lineup, his skills would work at nearly any position or system
@oluwaseyijohnson31623 жыл бұрын
This players are rare but not hard to find tbh. Just off today players Lebron, AD, KD,
@williamlopez37873 жыл бұрын
@@oluwaseyijohnson3162 You’re not wrong the list is probably like 20 or 30 players, still very impressive that his skill set was like a guard but he had the height and wingspan of dominant paint defenders
@dariusmcclain55843 жыл бұрын
KG as a modern small ball 5 is a tantalizing, terrifying thought, lol
@t4d0W3 жыл бұрын
@@oluwaseyijohnson3162 uhhh 3 generational talents and absolute top 10 caliber players of the last decade or two is 'rare but not hard to find'? LMFAO. You youngn's definitely take these type scalable talents for granted.
@zerocal763 жыл бұрын
@@oluwaseyijohnson3162 You're a joke with a comment like that. You're talking about superstars in LBJ, AD KD and they aren't hard to find? Just avoid commenting next time
@mannycalavera23353 жыл бұрын
"KG tracked the ball better than maybe any player in NBA history. He was a hardwood sentinel, materializing in the paint the instant he detected a threat". This is the best description of Kevin Garnett's defensive prowess I have ever heard.
@samuelyuan2913 жыл бұрын
It's so sad that in like all of those clips where KG is making amazing passes, his teammates miss.
@ThinkingBasketball3 жыл бұрын
This really jumped out to me when I watched the a full draft all the way through for the first time.
@samuelyuan2913 жыл бұрын
@@ThinkingBasketball He gives them such easy shots too 😫
@enaidealukal41053 жыл бұрын
And there was a stretch of seasons where he averaged 5-6 assists/game, passing to scrub teammates! He had some seriously insane seasons- in 2002-03 he averaged 23 ppg 13.4 rpg and 6 apg (55% TS), plus elite defense. The following year he posted 24/14/5. Crazy.
@willhooke3 жыл бұрын
@@ThinkingBasketball do you end up giving a score for each player compared to one another, to see who owns the Mountain Goat Peak? 🐐🗻 In the end, there can only be one 👑
@aaronli83763 жыл бұрын
@@willhooke he has a top 40 on his website. based on that its either lebron or kareem. probably lebron for goat peak from my guess
@MarioDiciple3 жыл бұрын
KG is definitely the case study for thinking basketball. A player with all the traits of a great basketball player but underrated due to being on bad teams and being thought of in narrow lines.
@ThinkingBasketball3 жыл бұрын
What's been fascinating to watch over the last 20 years is how little is discussed about his actual game, and how much is discussed about his team/playoff failures and the singular idea that his scoring was so bad that it was the cause of it all.
@steelwall43963 жыл бұрын
@Lucas Baker In all fairness it wasn't his strong suit. We saw in Boston that he elevated in the playoffs when his best skills were what was called for. Asking KG to be a volume scorer is like asking Magic to be a volume scorer or for Kareem to playmaker in volume. They CAN do it, it just isn't what makes them top 10 players
@kags93673 жыл бұрын
@Lucas Baker He was light on scoring and heavy on playmaking, volume scoring wasn't his strongest suit. But pair him with other scorers and his passing and defensive genius would catapult the team to rare heights, unlocking his teammates' potential KG isn't like Duncan or Hakeem, whose scoring games are far more resilient in the playoffs, but his elite passing for a big and his shooting allow his game to complement other stars' like few other superstars in NBA history. I love the Anthony Davis comparison a lot - IMO he's like a fully evolved AD, with all-time passing from a big, a sweet shooting touch, and one of the 5 most impactful defenders ever As his Backpicks profile states, his peak is below GOAT-level because his scoring lets him down a little (compared to the Jordans and Shaqs and LeBrons), but his all-time defense and highly scaleable offensive arsenal means that he's not very far behind at all
@aaronli83763 жыл бұрын
@@kags9367 KG was one of the reasons I got into basketball. KG is a product of his era. if he developed in this era where he shot 3s instead of long 2s, he would be in the goat contention because there hasn't been a player yet with that combination of offense/defense. but thats fantasy and the reality of playing in his era and carrying such a burden on defense and offense is that it will hurt your numbers in the post season when teams can zone in on you. His teams really were that bad due to mismanagement and anyone that says otherwise is fooling themselves when in the west, almost every playoff team was stacked.
@ralx225b3 жыл бұрын
@@kags9367 I disagree with a couple of your statements so here we go. 1. Anthony Davis has not shown a single time in his career the type of court vision and high I.Q. reads that K.G. has consistently shown in his career. Anthony Davis is actually a more gifted scorer than KG because of his naturally larger frame his main issues are a lack of aggressiveness and his tendency to get injured frequently. Davis is just as versatile on defense as KG he just lacks his motor on both sides of the ball. KG alongside a player like Nash, Kidd, Payton in his prime would have averaged over 25 ppg in the regular season and playoffs just because he was ELITE at moving off the ball but NEVER got it in those spots. As a result he would have reached GOAT level offense because of his ability to be a secondary scorer and playmaker off the cut and the catch deadly in both the roll and the pop as a result of playing alongside an elite playmaker. Nash might have been the best fit actually or Payton a close second.
@marco50303 жыл бұрын
I was waiting for this one ever since he referenced Garnett in his AD profile, and it really delivered.
@ThinkingBasketball3 жыл бұрын
Yes! 🙏
@grahamimal83363 жыл бұрын
The best Basketball content out there
@OjoRojo403 жыл бұрын
@@ThinkingBasketball Where is Barkley?? You are not serious if you don't include his 86-91 stretch. That's just facts. Cheers
@nikosbabatzanis87133 жыл бұрын
@@OjoRojo40 He posted about not picking Barkley and Malone in his greatest peaks. He said that although Barkley's offense was amazing his defence was problematic
@OjoRojo403 жыл бұрын
@@nikosbabatzanis8713 Yes I know, a bad argument considering how hard is to measure a good defender. Specially in Barkley's case who NEVER played in teams who cared about defense. Cheers!
@LoganLS03 жыл бұрын
Fun fact: In his very last year he was the best on/off defender in the league. The Timberwolves defended 25 points per possession better when 40 year old KG was on the court.
@rooseveltdarbey94932 жыл бұрын
Wow he should have went to a good team in 2016 instead of going back to Minnesota. I understand why he did it but he should have gone to the clippers.
@LoganLS02 жыл бұрын
@@rooseveltdarbey9493 well he only played like 400 minutes the whole season.
@greatwhitesufi3 жыл бұрын
The Western Conference during KG's prime was insanely stacked. Multiple teams having 1 and sometimes even 2 MVP-calibre players. Dirk and Nash, Robinson and Duncan, Shaq and Kobe, a solid Portland team and up and coming Kings squad with C-Webb and Bibby and he had teammates that I can't even remember
@image133 жыл бұрын
Yep KG had Wally and Troy Hudson as his main guys lol
@LookingForAName...3 жыл бұрын
His incredible versatility makes a serious case for his inclusion in a theoretical best starting five of all time. I feel like he scales exponentially with good teammates and his only Achilles heel, volume scoring, wouldn't be an issue in such a team. Plus, he can guard damn near everybody and, with a modern mind state, his long range shooting would be lethal, adding value to his already great off ball movement.
@mrbattle20132 жыл бұрын
Not the greatest PF but most versatile
@ggsimmonds12 жыл бұрын
When people go through the exercise of "two people pick their all-time starting five and argue about which team would win," Garnet is the guy I make sure to take. His defensive versatility ensures I wouldn't have mismatches (for example if the other team had Durant)
@DaggerDenkraam3 жыл бұрын
As a university prof, I sometimes get goosebumps when a lesson works especially well and the students are really getting into it. I get those same goosebumps with every video in this series - this one especially.
@johermeah27853 жыл бұрын
That's cool. What do you teach?
@theultimatepielord86973 жыл бұрын
Kevin Garnett: I am going to be the next Michael Jordan Coach: Dude you're seven feet tall KG: Did I ****ing stutter?
@marcusmcneal74533 жыл бұрын
There’s two players I’ve seen perfect MJ’s post up fadeaway jumper: Kobe and KG.
@chibill4673 жыл бұрын
KG said he wanted to be a hood Magic Johnson lol
@meep78953 жыл бұрын
*6 foot 12
@dusk61593 жыл бұрын
No, KG wanted to be a 7ft tall playmaking big/Magic Johnson.
@jacobenke79368 ай бұрын
He actually played with Mike a bit when he was in high school. He tells a story about it, and being scared af. He hit a jumper over Pippen and said he felt like he'd won a championship.
@rahulkagdiyal81803 жыл бұрын
Changed my whole perspective on KG...so much to learn from this detailed analysis...not only about KG but also about the game...hats off thinking basketball 👍🙏
@knowworth68022 жыл бұрын
@Kana Jingly Dirk and Rasheed Wallace sent him home in the first round.
@roykentseyebrows41963 жыл бұрын
Not to mention that he's one of the five most psychotically intense players ever.
@Terror8323 жыл бұрын
It’s weird. People call KG a fake tough guy but he’s honestly tougher than everyone playing in the NBA today.
@yd8563 жыл бұрын
@@Terror832 KG would get into your head and mess with you but wouldn’t actually fight you. It worked to perfection to mess with players heads but people think he was fake tough because he didn’t get himself ejected lmao.
@Terror8323 жыл бұрын
@@yd856 HOF bully badge
@yd8563 жыл бұрын
@@Terror832 pretty much.
@rollotomasi40453 жыл бұрын
@@Terror832 Lookup Anthony Peeler & KG in '04 Playoffs.
@messageinathrottle40463 жыл бұрын
His defensive footwork is insane in these clips.
@r7anr773 жыл бұрын
Especially going in for a block
@petardjordjev82713 жыл бұрын
KG, one of the most underrated bigs of all time
@yd8563 жыл бұрын
The most underrated, winning bias have made people overlook his career.
@pedromdcc133 жыл бұрын
Not bigs, players
@carusohighlightreel42753 жыл бұрын
Top 8 all time?
@HoopVenue3 жыл бұрын
Caruso Highlight Reel potentially, nobody gets done worse by consensus rankings than KG
@carusohighlightreel42753 жыл бұрын
@@HoopVenue fax
@Ry3nel3 жыл бұрын
Most complete defender ever. Could guard the perimeter and protect the rim at an elite level. Imo
@yd8563 жыл бұрын
@Gannon Rice he defended perimeter players well like Clyde Drexler in the 1997 Wolves vs Rockets series, he was also a great pick and roll defender and had no problems switching out to defend guys on the perimeter like in the 2008 Celtics vs Cavs series or the 2008 finals. He’s probably not a top 10 perimeter defender ever, but I’d say that he’s the best perimeter big man defensively.
@AlanMane3 жыл бұрын
Id take Detroit Rodman over KG but just slightly.
@mrmacross3 жыл бұрын
I still give the nod to Rodman. He couldn't protect the rim like some other elite defenders, but throughout his career, you could reliably isolate him defensively on prime Michael Jordan or prime Shaq, and actually do a good job. And I emphasize "do a good job" because a lot of players (e.g. LeBron) are said to defend 1-5, but LeBron shied away from defending guys like Dwight Howard in his prime because Howard outmuscled him.
@yd8563 жыл бұрын
@@AlanMane Rodman wasn’t nearly as good of an off ball defender or rim protector that KG was.
@mrb60013 жыл бұрын
Ehhhh Hakeem and Rodman are right there
@SeNs3NoEviL3 жыл бұрын
I'm glad somebody finally did a full analysis on Garnett's greatness, truly the most talented PF we have ever seen
@knowworth68022 жыл бұрын
Lol Duncan, Barkley, Giannis, Malone, and Dirk clears. At least they don't miss the playoffs three years in a row in their primes.
@SeNs3NoEviL2 жыл бұрын
@@knowworth6802 Now if only KG had the teams that those other players you mentioned did...
@theonlyalecazam29472 жыл бұрын
@@knowworth6802 You hate context don’t you
@ggsimmonds12 жыл бұрын
@@knowworth6802 Username does NOT check out
@buckchile614 Жыл бұрын
One could theoretically use him @ the 3 as well and have the most talented SF ever
@justsayin6693 жыл бұрын
KG is a top 5 all time defender and belongs in the conversation for greatest defender of all time.
@jgray27183 жыл бұрын
I'm old enough to have seen KG's entire career, and I never noticed a lot of these things. I was (am) a Laker fan, so all KG's greatness got buried in losses, and I never appreciated how great he was until this video. When I saw Garnett next on Greatest Peaks, my first thought was "really?" rather than "finally!", but now that you point out what he did and what he could do, I wish I had just been more observant then. Great work, as always, and thank you for the fantastic series :-)
@t4d0W3 жыл бұрын
I mean we were all observant then. But some of our lack of understanding of the game in comparison to now makes us miss the details in what made him great on the court. Especially his horizontal movement and how he commands his (lackluster) teammates on defense so he picks his spots, stays in front of the ball handler at the perimeter, keeps up with the play and still try blow it up in the end at the rim. Just a player who took absolute pride in his craft.
@dulogmaz3 жыл бұрын
What separates Duncan, Shaq and those type of upper echelon players from KG is just circumstance.
@benalexander50103 жыл бұрын
As a Timberwolves fan, thank you for making this video. People forget how awesome KG was and how abysmal the talent around him was except for 2004. He is the best thing to ever happen to the Wolves and his name belongs in the conversation for best power forward of all time.
@mariotube14883 жыл бұрын
Naw man as top ten best big but in my he is top 5
@benalexander50103 жыл бұрын
@@mariotube1488 he’s up there for sure
@knowworth68022 жыл бұрын
One deep playoff run in Minnesota. The others were missed playoffs or first round exits. Overrated asf.
@kingdinodragonite3470 Жыл бұрын
@@knowworth6802the 2023 rockets would sweep the 2000s wolves without KG
@DeeRock21 Жыл бұрын
Should have never traded Ray Allen for Stephon Marbury in that draft😢
@d.luvevo7113 жыл бұрын
A tragic story of how a poorly run franchise can ruin an all time talent. The *best* Power Forward of all time that simply didn't get the chances to win in his prime that the other PFs of his era and the previous one did. (Malone, Duncan, Dirk, Webber) I'll forever argue that he's better than all of them, and happy that 2008 proved he is in fact a winning player when given the chance.
@duden263 жыл бұрын
You have a point but i can't take him over Duncan. It's close though.
@t4d0W3 жыл бұрын
You definitely gave context to how one of the best scalable players in league history could underachieve and be given such a weird stigma until he was finally put in a position to display his winning basketball methods could result in a chip.
@rolandorevidizo17573 жыл бұрын
Sadly that 2008 was his last prime. And he was not the same after that injured.
@yd8563 жыл бұрын
KG played the floor raising role perfectly in Minnesota and was also the perfect ceiling raiser in Boston, that’s very rare.
@t4d0W3 жыл бұрын
You essentially defined the trait a scalable player should possess.
@aadames3 жыл бұрын
great point
@steelwall43963 жыл бұрын
He wasn't a great floor raiser though? At least not an all-time one. His lack of efficient volume scoring that Duncan, Shaq and Olajuwon had is something Ben mentions in this piece? Want to call him the best ceiling raiser ever? You won't get an argument from me. Want to say those Wolves were some of the worst teams an MVP has ever played for? Sure Saying he can floor raise like Olajuwon, Shaq, Duncan, Jordan, Lebron, Kareem, Kobe, or Dwayne Wade is just misguided at best?
@FuShengAlex3 жыл бұрын
@@steelwall4396 dirk bombed all over his Wolves too.
@6dotz3 жыл бұрын
@@steelwall4396 d wade isn’t a floor raiser lol
@ebrown1123 жыл бұрын
this vid made me love KG even more, and i was already maxed out. anyone remember that blue-ish nike shoe he had with the zipper and the circle on the ankle?
@ebrown1123 жыл бұрын
Nike Air Flightposit KG
@emmanuela75283 жыл бұрын
What a player. That ability to be aware of absolute everything going on around him is so damn special.
@jakewaugh20593 жыл бұрын
It's criminal that this channel only has 205k subs. I know there's a lot of competition for basketball content on KZbin but seriously, only a few other channels put anywhere close to this much efforting into each and every one of there videos. Keep up the great work man, I cant put into words how much i love your content.
@NICKHAM163 жыл бұрын
KG is the reason I started watching basketball in the early 2000s. It's great to see someone breaking down what made him so elite.
@kawaiiafangirl2 жыл бұрын
I'm ecstatic that videos like this exist on KZbin. My generation growing up loved players like Kobe, AI, and Shaq because they were so popular but I always loved the guys who didn't get as much notice like KG, Duncan, T-Mac, and Jason Kidd. If KG played today, he'd probably be similar to Giannis but not quite as athletic and w/ a greater jump shot. What Jokic is doing now also reminds me of KG- Garnett would probably average a similar amount of rebounds and assists, be a greater defender, but not be quite the power player that Jokic is on the post.
@jonathanwilliams68833 жыл бұрын
You 100% deserve a TV deal for this greatest peaks series man. fantastic quality, fantastic content please keep this series going ✊
@JonnyLin73 жыл бұрын
I just get a new appreciation for players like Garnett after these videos. As someone who could guard 1 through 5, had big man size with guard level passing and ball handling and a great long two shooter, he was way ahead of his time. He's basically a 7 foot Draymond Green (in his prime), with AD level shot creation abilities. That's a demi-god player in today's NBA.
@TheRealAbraxas2 жыл бұрын
Garnett’s style of defense would fit perfectly into today’s game. Same with his offensive versatility
@Shaklore3 жыл бұрын
I have been following you ever since you made the Backpicks Top 40 list and wrote the Thinking Basketball book. From the moment you started this KZbin channel, I have anticipated a video covering Kevin Garnett especially since you mentioned him many times. Felt so good to finally watch this after a long wait. He really is one of the most misunderstood players ever. Thank you so much for covering Kevin Garnett!
@kgc06093 жыл бұрын
He was able to shoot, handle the ball, drive, pass, anchor the defense, block, rebound, resist to mismatch. The definition of versatile 2 way player.
@hiavishai2 жыл бұрын
Now imagine putting KG next to a player like curry… he could dominate the defense like draymond does without compromising any offense as a second option. KG was criminally ahead of his time
@hardwoodthought12132 жыл бұрын
So unlike Duncan he couldn’t lead teams on both ends far
@svnami_10412 жыл бұрын
@@hardwoodthought1213if KG was on the spurs like duncan he wouldve won just as much championships
@hardwoodthought12132 жыл бұрын
@@svnami_1041 LMFAO, no he wouldn’t have. Tim Duncan knew when he had to be a volume scorer come playoff time, something KG wasn’t ever. Dude has 6x less 30+ point playoff games than Duncan, who from 00-04 had fairly mediocre offensive teams. KG maybe wins 05/07 (although, I still doubt it as he wasn’t a threat that was double teamed like Duncan was which opened up the game for his young teammates like Parker and Manu) but he doesn’t come close to winning 99 (wasn’t good enough early), 03 (couldn’t carry a weak cast far) or 14 (was washed by about 2012). Flip that, no way Duncan only wins one with 04 Minnesota and prime Pierce/Allen for 5 years
@mesda58913 жыл бұрын
Thanks for elevating the quality of Nba's discussions. Easily the best basketball channel on KZbin.
@1caringhuman3 жыл бұрын
This is the basketball content I’ve been searching for.. In-depth and detailed breakdowns of plays, players and play styles. Both this channel and series are criminally underrated.
@MrPlow-jc4cr3 жыл бұрын
KG would have been an absolute god if he played in this era. Basically an even switchier AD
@libraalibaba3 жыл бұрын
That's why I get upset when they guys couldn't play in today's league. Malone would have been fouled out if he gaurded KG today.
@steelwall43963 жыл бұрын
Just a more extreme version of AD. Probably a better shooter, definitely a better playmaker and defender. Only really loses in terms of vertical spacing
@Terror8323 жыл бұрын
@@steelwall4396 KG is actually a better jump shooter than AD *AD FG% 10 feet and above* (17-18) 231/621 = 37.2% (18-19) 154/425 = 36.2% (19-20) 188/531 = 35.4% *KG FG% 10 feet and above* (02-03) 396/859 = 46.1% (03-04) 420/946 = 44.4% (04-05) 309/704 = 43.9%
@steelwall43963 жыл бұрын
@@Terror832 That's not showing the fact that AD is shooting from further
@kingcartrell45543 жыл бұрын
This dude won a MVP and championship and got u making vids about every detail he does, nice work.
@SB-ou5yp3 жыл бұрын
Man, you're helping a young guy from the U.K finally understand the NBA and why some of these legends are great. Kudos to you. Also, are we going to see a video on Charles Barkley?
@LukaMuh3 жыл бұрын
I love that you put KG in this series People forget how good he actually was
@philipwacker46293 жыл бұрын
Damn, that P&R Defence was incredible!
@AAthurskiii3 жыл бұрын
The most underrated player in recent history. Definitely top ten all time.
@itzfusionplex42663 жыл бұрын
@@S4L665-OnelessthantheDevil Thats disrespectful, hes a lock for top 15 and you can make a top 10 case.
@kingdinodragonite34703 жыл бұрын
@@S4L665-OnelessthantheDevil KG was one of the few guys that actually improve stats surrounded by good teammates. The fact that the Wolves scored the same net rating with the Spurs when KG is on the court speaks volume because the Spurs are a dynasty while the Wolves are garbage surrounding KG.Who knows if he played with an elite playmaker, he would be averaging 27ppg and 15reb probably as well as being a DPOY candidate every time.
@devinturner19683 жыл бұрын
Dude no joke every time one of these videos drop I yell "LETS GOOOO". I get genuinely excited for your content. Keep up the great work, friend.
@Hanzelimpaired2 жыл бұрын
I have just discovered this channel today and it instantly became my fav yt basketball channel! Great analysis, exactly what I was looking for. So satisfying, thank you for your work!
@ThinkingBasketball2 жыл бұрын
Thanks and welcome
@maxstrom54503 жыл бұрын
Never in my life did I think that I'd underrated KG, as he's one of my all-time faves, but wow, I missed so much depth to his game. His defense goes so much deeper than meets the eye, it's really some of the highest IQ basketball ever.
@dreamsoda8973 жыл бұрын
Watched this on release and watching it again after KG got inducted into the HoF. My favorite PF and one of my favorite players of all time
@thisguymike01003 жыл бұрын
He's definitely underrated when it comes to the discussion of best two way players of all time. I think partially because the NBA is so perimeter oriented now and because he played in MN. There's no era he couldn't thrive in defensively. He's just one generation too early. In today's NBA he thrives, especially if he could shoot even avg from 3 pt range. Which I'm sure he could cuz his midrange game was one of the best when it came to Bigs. Definitely one of my favorite players.
@michaelo63173 жыл бұрын
I’ve waited so long for the KG greatest peaks. Most underrated top 10 player of all time.
@MikeTheNBAGuy3 жыл бұрын
probably cause hes not top 10 lol
@mattplag443 жыл бұрын
Just curious who your top 10 is if you put KG in there
@yd8563 жыл бұрын
@@MikeTheNBAGuy he’s easily top 10. The only argument against it is winning bias which is purely situational.
@MikeTheNBAGuy3 жыл бұрын
@@yd856 nah. Top 20, debatably top 15, but I cant see any real arguement for top 10 unless you just really disrespect players from before the 90s
@pedromdcc133 жыл бұрын
@@MikeTheNBAGuy I have no problems disrespecting players I think are worst
@MidwayGuy3 жыл бұрын
Another thing Garnett would do on defense, if the ref stopped the clock and the opponent put up a practice shot, Garnett would goal tend the hoop just to deny his opponent that little bit of satisfaction. He was to this day the most intense defender I've ever seen. He didn't have an off button.
@sambalaskas50823 жыл бұрын
This gets me hyped for TD. I loved them going back and forth. Both genius defenders but in such different ways. Also KG is the best chirper ever and TD never talked lol. I miss this match up
@chibill4673 жыл бұрын
lol according to KG, TD talks a lot just not loud lmao
@robbydevries2k73 жыл бұрын
My favorite player growing up. Played ball myself at the 1.We had nothing in common, but I just admired the way he played the game. Dominant on both ends of the court with a hall of fame skillset, motor and great mind for the game. His only weakness should not even be considered a weakness. It was his loyalty to Minnesota.
@NigerianBaller3 жыл бұрын
Kevin Garnett was one of my favorite players growing up. I modeled my game after him. He was the prototype PF, his intensity was unmatched and he never backed down from anyone, EVER!!! I mean the guy trashed talked Michael Jordan as a rookie 😱😱😂😂 . I'm giving Garnett his flowers while he's here 🌹🌹. One of the greatest PF's to ever play the game. He's in the HOF for a reason.
@agregs303 жыл бұрын
Great off ball defenders are much akin to great passers and playmakers who can see the play developing before it actually happens. They know where the openings for the offense are if it’s executed properly and can react accordingly depending on how well the defense is or isn’t playing the play. Knowing the personal is key. Knowing who you can leave open in the corners and who get tunnel vision on their drives can dictate how aggressively you can gamble in certain situations. Defensive virtuosos are a joy to watch even if they don’t get the limelight they deserve.
@yunan96103 жыл бұрын
Amazing motor, he really never stops moving
@dovy993 жыл бұрын
Thanks Ben, these videos are great. I'm enjoying these series so much. Garnett's greatness in full display.
@imhotepnixon3 жыл бұрын
12:20 look at the spacing literally everyone was in the paint I think KG would’ve had the chance to be the goat if he was in this spread out era cause he would be taking more threes as well
@Terror8323 жыл бұрын
Call me crazy but I can see KG putting up numbers on par with the current back to back MVP Giannis. Garnett was putting up numbers in a time where interior defense was still strong, spacing was worser, pace was slower, rebounding battles were around, etc. Garnett was doing everything Giannis was doing except better (especially as a jump shooter). Though I will say Giannis is explosive while KG is smooth. I can see him easily averaging an efficient 25+ PPG, 15+ RPG and elite all time defense. In fact he’d be a perennial DPOY winner in today’s era.
@Talby9263 жыл бұрын
@@Terror832 Not crazy at all. Giannis has more pure athleticism, KG is a much more skilled player. He would shoot and make more threes than Giannis while playing outstanding defense and setting up his teammates for easy buckets. He was ahead of his time in many ways.
@junebabyLV3 жыл бұрын
@@Terror8321000% agree with this take!
@AlexBrown-xp7mt3 жыл бұрын
@@Terror832 I don't think there are many who would call you crazy, imo Prime KG was clearly a better player than Giannis, and Giannis is a beast don't get me wrong.
@chibill4673 жыл бұрын
@@AlexBrown-xp7mt for sure, KG is much smarter so the defense teams are using against Giannis in playoffs would not work at all against KG
@flor-amadojrcabatan65093 жыл бұрын
"After moving on to greener pastures" .. how accurate is that. haha. love it
@Jon.A.Scholt3 жыл бұрын
'02-'04 KG was such a beast. Most versatile big man at the time; all sorts of talent on offense but even better on D. His prime was fun to watch. If he had joined another star in his prime like players do today, he would've racked up more titles and they'd be putting his name even higher on the list of all time greats. Note: Boston KG was definitely not peak KG; that was a few years past by then but he was still a force obviously.
@iampaperbag Жыл бұрын
Man, the quality of PFs during the 2000s was just insane. And as a PF, you had to help with dealing with Shaq too.
@maxsevier65693 жыл бұрын
Am I the only one who would love to see his all time starting 5? Not best players but best fit
@RLSmith-jt8qj3 жыл бұрын
Hell yeah
@axlegallardo3 жыл бұрын
Center - Anthony Davis Power Forward- giannis Antetokounmpo Small Forward - Kevin Durant Shooting Guard - Michael Jordan Point Guard - Lebron James Reserves: Shaquille O’Neal Kevin Garnett Kobe Bryant Klay Thompson Dwayne Wade Hakeem Olajuwon Stephen Curry
@fuckoffstupidyoutub13 жыл бұрын
It probably would be something like Curry - Jordan - Lebron - KG - AD
@axlegallardo3 жыл бұрын
@@fuckoffstupidyoutub1 KG and AD will overlap. KD will give them more space. If Curry's shooting doesn't click, he'll be an above-average player, all-star caliber at the most. That's why I'm rolling with Greek Freak. Center - Anthony Davis Power Forward- Giannis Antetokounmpo Small Forward - Kevin Durant Shooting Guard - Michael Jordan Point Guard - Lebron James
@eliasdejene27793 жыл бұрын
@@axlegallardo huh? if curry's shooting doesn't click? you realize the thing about curry that discombobulates defenses isn't how many 3s he makes, it's the THREAT of him shooting that destroys everybody. He creates insane space for the rest of his teammates even if he's off that game because he could come back any moment. and his shooting "clicks" 99% of the time anyway. Without his shooting touch (for one game, cuz it rarely happens often) he is still an All Star because of his passing, finishing, and space-creating for teammates. starting 5 is PG: Curry(goat shooter, incredible spacing) SG: Jordan(GOAT candidate, cold-blooded assassin) SF: LeBron(GOAT candidate, primary playmaker and incredible finisher) PF: KD (all time scoring, team player) C: Duncan (unselfishness, defense, passing, shooting)
@ralx225b3 жыл бұрын
Masterpiece finally someone has broken down Garnett's game the way it should have been done years ago!!! Thank You this might be the greatest video you have ever done and the MOST NEEDED video on a player EVER created. Kevin Garnett never had the pieces around him to unlock his full game and while that may have been ok for a couple of years because it forced him to improve in SO many areas, after 2004 if he had been placed with an elite playmaker and scorer he would be fighting Tim Duncan for the title of greatest power forward. Anyway thank you for the video, I wish you mentioned that he averaged a minimum of 5 assists per game for 6 seasons with LESS than 3 turnovers per game which is INSANE for a power forward.
@janoycresnova91563 жыл бұрын
I always felt like KG was a better and more talented player than Duncan but Duncan had a vastly better team and management around him.
@coop70083 жыл бұрын
Wait until the Duncan greatest peak episode.
@TElias53 жыл бұрын
hold up lmao nobody agrees with that dont start that bs. even the uploader recognizes that duncan is top 5 all time. duncan just isnt flashy.
@iitzblitxen3770 Жыл бұрын
@@TElias5actually they seem to flip flop either way, even giving KG the edge in the top 10 peaks video
@charl_lee3 жыл бұрын
one of my first favorite players when i started watching basketball🙏🏽 KG was a legit problem back in the day. cant sag off cuz his mid is cash and he had great post footwork too. & its crazy cuz his defense was what really separated him from other 4’s. KG was so good on both sides its hard to explain/quantify by just looking at the numbers. He’d be craaaazy in today’s league with his skillset. Lovin this series man! These vids give me the basketball munchies👽
@Mali-rl4yg3 жыл бұрын
Ima high school b-ball player who’s a “big” Nd I’ve taking tips from ur series such as shaqs off ball movement n to get position and try to to anticipate passing from the bird episode not saying I’ll ever be anything near there level at doing it but my stats Nd people such as my coach Nd others have noticed a change n my game so thanks for the series it helped me a fair bit
@NOYOUSHUTUP3.143 жыл бұрын
This is far and away the best basketball channel in any media since Red on Roundball. Your work and passion in putting these videos must be staggering. Definitely a labor of love, and as an avid viewer and subscriber, my sincerest gratitude!
@RLSmith-jt8qj3 жыл бұрын
🤦♂️I'm mad you went back to Red on Roundball...lmao
@NOYOUSHUTUP3.143 жыл бұрын
@@RLSmith-jt8qj Hey, that one with Pistol Pete was awesome. I would've said those Kobe videos on ESPN but this covers more players, which makes up for the more intimate perspective that Kobe obviously has. I stand by my statement👍
@RLSmith-jt8qj3 жыл бұрын
@@NOYOUSHUTUP3.14 my favorite is the one where Red goes on a rant about players flopping in the damn 70s🤣🤣
@NOYOUSHUTUP3.143 жыл бұрын
@@RLSmith-jt8qj I wonder how he felt about Divac when he was on the Kings? He flopped more than Lindsay Graham in 2016.
@GTR243 жыл бұрын
Some great details here. I watched his game from 2003-2014. I never noticed how he mirrored the ball handler while guarding a man without the ball.
@dask74283 жыл бұрын
Simply the best basketball videos on youtube. Thank you !
@nickcrafa37133 жыл бұрын
ive seen a few of these videos, and youre legit man. i think your content is great, really good job.
@johnrivera62443 жыл бұрын
I say it every episode because it needs to be made known; This is the BEST series on youtube.
@albertosahagun96723 жыл бұрын
KG was the prototype man. He's Draymond/AD on steroids.
@drlca66013 жыл бұрын
lol not even to be spoken of in the same breath...
@domination48923 жыл бұрын
@@drlca6601 no he meant that AD is the modern day version of KG
@domination48923 жыл бұрын
@The Ultimate And Garnett isn’t as good of a shooter from 3
@Max-kv8uw3 жыл бұрын
@@domination4892 Garnett was arguably though the better shooter. Looking at his ft% and long-2%, it's really not hard to see that if he had played in this modern 3-ball-oriented era, he could've been a stretch 5.
@Tedholla793 жыл бұрын
@@domination4892 they didnt shoot threes that often guy. did you see how many 19ft shots were in the video? garnett shot 43% in these years, i guess he practiced that shot, a lot.
@marshallbartley1763 жыл бұрын
One of my two favorite players ever. An absolute beast
@isiahsarne85053 жыл бұрын
In the final episode would love to see what your best ever starting 5 would be in the final episode since you talk about this fit in every episode.
@t4d0W3 жыл бұрын
Lets make it more fun and give it a theme. The 'Scalable' starting 5 has been explored before by other sports media guys but I'd like Ben's take on it.
@jameshoops103 жыл бұрын
1:11 honestly that is best interview of all time
@mariotube14883 жыл бұрын
But man he truly love the game if you watch the whole interview because at the end it mad me cry a lil bit.
@jameshoops103 жыл бұрын
@@mariotube1488 any real man would shed a tear or two 🤝
@rooseveltdarbey94932 жыл бұрын
Kevin Garnett just never had others great players around him, until he went to The Celtics. He was phenomenal in Minnesota but he just didn't have the help, and he was facing teams in the west conference that had two stars. Lakers (Kobe, Shaq) Mavs(Nash, Dirk) Spurs(Duncan, Robinson, Parker, Ginoboli).
@knowworth68022 жыл бұрын
His teammate Latrell Sprewell led the Knicks to the Finals when Ewing went down. KG just isn't good enough, it's okay.
@Thanosdidtherighthing2 жыл бұрын
@@knowworth6802 🌝 Latrell Sprewell shot an abysmal 49.1% True Shooting in Minesotta. He was 3rd in PER for the Knicks in the regular season and 2nd in the playoffs. He didn’t lead them to anything. Patrick Ewing got hurt that playoffs
@knowworth68022 жыл бұрын
@@Thanosdidtherighthing Cry, KG isn't Top 30.
@kimemia_maina2 жыл бұрын
I find it poetic that it is Danny Ainge waxing lyrical, as a pundit, about Kevin Garnett not having enough help to get a championship, and then 5 years down the line putting him together with Paul Pierce and Ray Allen to win it all with Boston. Nice selection of soundbite
@Nuka04203 жыл бұрын
Seeing KG literally GRAB the ball one handed from someone in the air.... Just incredible
@OTM-BandiT3 жыл бұрын
Man, what a treat it was to go watch KG play at the target center. I probably saw about 6 or 7 games of him. Last time I was probably only 11 or 12, so I was just excited to be at an NBA basketball game. He was always my favorite player ever since we drafted him, and I got to stay up late on game nights with my dad to watch. I didn't understand the game as much as I do now (27y/o now), and just couldn't understand why he left Minnesota at the time. I was heartbroken. Seeing him in a C's jersey just wasn't the same, but I was genuinely happy for him over there. A competent front office, good coach, great complimentary teammates. He had the whole recipe for success there. Damn right I watched every game of that 2008 NBA finals and cheered for my favorite player of all time even though it was tough to cheer for the Celtics. And when I saw KG in his interview after game 6, I was 100% shedding tears man, and when he was yelling "THIS IS FOR EVERYONE IN 'SOTA!" I straight up lost it. I was so happy for him. he deserved that ring 1000%. KG is the sole reason why I am such a big of basketball fan as I am for all these years, and I won't stop being a fan and loving this game any time soon! And for that, KG I salute you, my friend. Thanks for the memories and great times, even though we couldn't get you the ring you deserved here in 'Sota. This is why I love this game. ♥
@bogazici923 жыл бұрын
Great Video about a great player. I would love to see an analysis of Nowitzki and Duncan. It would be interesting to compare these 3 great PF
@shangojackson60 Жыл бұрын
As a lifelong kg fan I truly believe he has some kind of restlessness syndrome and that helped him in his career, bro still can sit still to this day, look at videos of him on the bench, never resting😂
@matthewkolakowski37013 жыл бұрын
I swear the biggest reason KG is so underrated is because so many former players just hate the guy cuz his trash talk was unmatched lol.
@57wookie3 жыл бұрын
I feel like it's the same way Rick Barry's peers feel about him
@ItsBam933 жыл бұрын
Nah his resume
@BonsaiBoi013 жыл бұрын
KG’s prime was before my time as is a lot of the players on this series. I really appreciate being able to get an insight to just how good some of these players are
@ghoulhaven77653 жыл бұрын
Dude KG today is literally exactly what almost every team needs
@t4d0W3 жыл бұрын
Especially now. There is only one AD and teams are looking for a tall defender who can move horizontally. Ben Simmons comes at a strong second consideration but right now he's more of an on-ball perimeter pit bull who can give strong second effort when his guy blows by him either through his fast (and active) hands. Giannis and to an extent Jaren Jackson Jr. have shown flashes of using their length/footwork/quickness to make multiple stops to look like they are defending everywhere. But not at the level Garnett exploits his in game knowledge and reads to blow up stuff at a reactive level. KG now would feast at the way the modern NBA plays with hand off schemes and switching if he had the ideal talent surrounding him.
@knowworth68022 жыл бұрын
A guy who misses the playoffs 3 years in a row in the middle of his prime?
@DgSezn2 жыл бұрын
@@knowworth6802 I know you don’t understand any context why, look at the supporting cast and tell me if that’s a playoff caliber supporting cast
@theonlyalecazam29472 жыл бұрын
@@t4d0W Draymond too
@t4d0W3 жыл бұрын
This is a great video. Everyone had a general idea of how Garnett played based on film/highlights. But the devil in the details is exactly how Ben coined him as one of the most scalable superstars in league history. His game would translate amazingly well in the modern NBA too where there are few who can take him out in match ups as there aren't many Shaq like players running around. Man if Anthony Davis can stymie even a giant like Jokic, imagine Garnett causing chaos today with the right team and shooters to feast off his great passes because of his looks. Hell you got GMs looking for the next 7 footer who can be a 3-and-D type defender. Garnett's ability to legit guard the 1 to 5 and be all over the floor would be highly appreciated would amaze and make many fans appreciate him more today.
@LAdams-sb1hf Жыл бұрын
I don’t understand how KG wasn’t the Finals MVP… Sure Pierce was amazing but KG was the engine of that team.
@jekkt3 жыл бұрын
i think his footwork is so special because he's not really running but more hopping around. like hes dancing in rhythm.
@cidmatrix96433 жыл бұрын
Basketball Octopus is such a perfect description for KG 🐙🏀
@rubatsch17133 жыл бұрын
excellent video. I wasnt even aware of KGs intangibles when I watched him as a kid in his prime.
@njstuckey3 жыл бұрын
I know you'll be doing one on Duncan, but I would love to see a mini-sode on Dirk. No one would argue he's the greatest player ever but he might have had the most complete offensive game of any player ever. Completely unstoppable due to sheer variety (as opposed to Shaq or Kareem who were unstoppable from one or two things they did too well to ever be guarded). He also changed the way the league viewed big men forever. In fact I'd argue that if KG had played after Dirk and been encouraged to do some more shooting, he would've had an even better career taking 3's instead of all those long 2's.
@peterpan30223 жыл бұрын
hm i think durant has an even more refined offensive bag than dirk. if i recall correctly dirks post up game never was that great. his fade away was basically unguardable but as u have mentioned other all time players had basically unguardable moves as well.
@milto22693 жыл бұрын
The most complete offensive player implies that he's an elite passer which he definitely wasn't. But even if you wanna say he was the most complete, I wouldn't agree with that either. KD is slightly more complete because of his handle and how he can attack the rim more aggressively
@fuckoffstupidyoutub13 жыл бұрын
He is a fan of dirk scoring but everything else is not enought for Ben to consider him
@mralpaca21503 жыл бұрын
Dirk can't pass
@guillermovazquez10843 жыл бұрын
Dirk will probably be right after the Duncan Episode 05-07
@Daily0Dylan3 жыл бұрын
I've been looking forward to this video more than I can admit. Excellent content! Btw, all those clips of Ben Wallace remind me that an analysis on Ben Wallace (02-04) would be awesome. I'd love to see how his defense stacks up against TD, KG, Hakeem, and DRob.
@WhelmedButReady3 жыл бұрын
2:51 Ah, what nerd doesn't love a good Spider-Man reference.😉
@Tedholla793 жыл бұрын
and cephalopod references. 😅
@godnotavailable20945 ай бұрын
The play at 5:15 might be the coolest thing I've ever seen on a basketball court. Garnett literally just finished his scoring attempt, the other team starts a fast break a good ways away from him, and Garnett runs fast enough to catch up and block the shot with authority. That man was insane.
@maxpeng96413 жыл бұрын
Yes! Keep up all the incredible work Ben. You are truly a genius basketball content creator.
@benrinehart7776 Жыл бұрын
Kevin Garnett is on my all time starting 5. This level of defensive excellence and versatility, while being a good but not great offensive scorer, makes him a phenomenal fit next to other on ball scorers.