The Big Ticket and the trash talker of the town is back with yet another debatable topic! And not alone! As always, Kevin Garnett is accompanied by his childhood friend and former Celtics teammate, Paul Pierce. From high school to retirement from the NBA, these two legendary powerhouses share scoring tips, layups, the culture of the game, gossip and laughter. And now they are discussing something important.

Last year, Kevin Garnett and Paul Pierce caused quite an uproar with their takes on how modern NBA players lack versatility.  They said the overuse of one skill is diminishing the art of basketball. Guess what that skill is? Right, it’s the 3-pointer throws in every single game. And no, they didn’t point fingers at the players. Rather, they blamed the system in which these young people are trained. But wait! There’s more to it. Though, they do think the players are responsible for ‘one thing’.

In an episode of TICKET & THE TRUTH of the KG Certified series, KG and Pierce reminisce the practice culture they followed. The two Hall of Famers of ‘the Big Three’ shared how they are at their current positions because of it. And boom! They dropped the bombshell on what the new generation lacks. Pierce remarks, “This is the culture that the NBA has created. You know why? Because you don’t practice. We practiced every day, so according to the season. We had a mentality like ‘to grind’, we had a mentality of hard work, we had a mentality to show up, to be available every day, I wanted to come to practice because I couldn’t, I wanted to practice with my teammates, I couldn’t be over here looking on the side why they going hard. Now, I’m coming here to practice because everybody else is practicing.”

As the first of his kind player, KG has brought about a huge revolution in the basketball landscape. He had it all to be considered one of the greatest. The speed, set skills, physicality, versatility, and most importantly, the mindset. So was Paul Pierce. He was bestowed the nickname ‘the Truth’ by Shaq as he acknowledged his unassailable on-court skills.

Kevin Garnett: The prototype of freak athletes

Many rules were changed during and after Kevin Garnett entered the NBA realm. The trend of ‘prep-to-pros’ can be traced back to him. With a surge in top high school basketball players jumping directly to the league. Often called the ‘great leap’. It was discontinued in 2006. Still, this practice left a generation of great players including Kobe Bryant and Tracy McGrady in its short period.

Did you notice how all the power forwards in the early 1990s used to be robust men?  It isn’t the same now, is it? Giving the credit where it is due, KG was the first lanky power forward who could sprint from paint to the perimeter ferociously. Thanks to him, there was a change in how physical appearances decided a player’s position.

In order to bring back the art of defensive skills, KG has been mentoring prospective stars of basketball. He also wants to reinstate the significance of the OG relationship among his students. Especially Mo Bamba and Jaren Jackson Jr. From a teenager in an unfamiliar and competitive place to a guide to the new generation, the Big Ticket sure has traveled far.