“The BIG ticket!” Kevin Garnett recalls the time when a young LeBron James claimed KG was the best player in the NBA

Kevin Garnett is one of the greatest power forwards of all time, a 15-time All-Star, an MVP, a Defensive Player of the Year, and a champion. He is also known for his fiery personality, his trash talk, and his leadership. But before he became a legend, he was a young phenom who entered the NBA straight out of high school in 1995.

One of the players who looked up to him was LeBron James, who would follow his footsteps and skip college to join the league in 2003. James was hailed as the next big thing, the chosen one, the king. He had immense talent, athleticism, and potential. But he also had respect for his elders, especially for Garnett.

In a recent interview with The Athletic, Garnett recalled the time when James, who was still a rookie with the Cleveland Cavaliers, approached him after a game and paid him a huge compliment.

“He came up to me and said ‘You’re the best player in this league,’” Garnett said. “I was like ‘What?’ He was like ‘Yeah man, you’re the best player in this league.’ I was like ‘Man, you’re crazy.’”

Garnett said he appreciated James’ gesture and tried to give him some advice on how to handle the pressure and expectations that came with being a superstar.

“I told him ‘You’re special. You have an opportunity to do something that none of us can do,’” Garnett said. “I told him ‘You can shut down all the critics. You can do something that’s never been done. You can win a championship here in Cleveland.’”

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How have Kevin Garnett and LeBron James’ paths diverged?

James and Garnett would go on to have different careers, but both would achieve greatness in their own ways. James would leave Cleveland in 2010 to join the Miami Heat, where he would win two titles and four MVPs. He would return to the Cavaliers in 2014 and deliver on his promise to bring a championship to his hometown in 2016. He would then join the Los Angeles Lakers in 2018 and win another title in 2020.

Garnett would stay with the Minnesota Timberwolves until 2007 when he was traded to the Boston Celtics. There, he would form a formidable trio with Paul Pierce and Ray Allen, and win his only title in 2008. He would also help the Celtics reach another Finals in 2010, where they lost to James’ Lakers. He would finish his career with brief stints with the Brooklyn Nets and back with the Timberwolves.

Despite their different paths, James and Garnett have always maintained their mutual respect and admiration. They have also faced each other many times in memorable playoff battles, such as in 2008, 2010, 2011, 2012, and 2014.

They are both among the best players of their generation and of all time. And they both started as young prodigies who looked up to each other.

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