“Violating Me”: Despite Getting Slapped With Harsh Accusations, 6ft 5 NBA Star’s Brutal Honesty Gains Celtics Legend Kevin Garnett’s Approval

Kevin Garnett is remembered for his longevity and his on-court temper. Apart from stellar two-way play, fans came to expect big words from The Big Ticket. While he has rubbed several players the wrong way, a former NBA champion recently shed some light on KG’s outspoken approach. With some heavy accusations lined up, he shared what it takes to be in the shoes of Garnett. The former New York Knicks player reminisced about his days playing against Kevin during a recent interview.

Notably, this interview even got Kevin Garnett’s approval.

2016 NBA champion speaks about KG as a teammate

Iman Shumpert was recently interviewed by Showtime’s basketball channel, and a segment of the interview was posted on the official Instagram handle of the All the Smoke podcast. During the interview, Shumpert was asked about his experience facing off against KG’s team. He mentioned that Garnett would consistently challenge him throughout the game, often yelling. Despite this, Shumpert remained composed and appreciated KG’s intense nature, acknowledging that it brought a sense of authenticity to the league.

As time passed, Shumpert came to realize that KG’s actions weren’t merely about yelling or a sense of aggression.

“You made the league real for me,” admitted the former Cleveland Cavaliers guard.

Initially, Shumpert felt that KG’s actions were disrespectful, especially when he was handling the ball. “He was violating me the whole game,” he confessed.  However, he later understood that Garnett was simply trying to guide his team in the right direction.

Watch story: Putting “Owners on the F**king Forefront”, Kevin Garnett Thrashed $86,000,000 Illegal “Dumb Sh*t” in 2021

6’5 Shumpert initially made the accusation that “this man is g*ngbanging” the whole team. But he soon realized that the Boston Celtics legend was just calling plays for his team. KG saw what the opponent is up to and what the team should respond with.

In fact, throughout this time, Kevin Garnett was fiercely running his team. “This man is real-life quarterbacking this whole defense,” the 2016 NBA champion said.

Kevin Garnett the quarterback

Garnett shared this reel on his Instagram stories as a sign of approval.

Furthermore, the 2004 NBA MVP captioned it, “Steel sharpens Steel.” One can figure that this is KG’s explanation of his harsh on-court demeanor. The former DPOY believed that winning required a hard-nosed mentality. And often, to be the best, would require being tough as “steel”.

What we could witness from Shumps’ interview is KG is in fact an unlikely diplomat on the court. The Big Ticket knew exactly what his opponent wants and how to deny them. That’s what makes him one of the greats.

Also read: Influenced by $79 Million-Worth “Big Balls” Frolics, Kevin Garnett Was Left With Broken Championship Dream