Kevin Garnett often finds his name in the same sentence as ‘intensity’ for a reason. On a recent podcast, he again demonstrated it when shared his more infamous growling moments that left Jeff Teague traumatized. “I ain’t never forget this,” NBA All-Star (2015) reacted. The 15× NBA All-Star champ reveals he not only wanted to destroy his confidence but there was another hidden purpose behind it.

In the Club 520 podcast, when the host brought up the infamous growling incident, Kevin Garnett didn’t shy away from confirming it. “I told yeah… I did growl at you. Yeah you know what it was, absolutely,” he admitted. The NBA champion (2008) shared that during a preseason game where he and Teague faced off, he tried to get under Teague’s skin, making it clear that the growl wasn’t a one-time event but part of a larger effort to unsettle the young player.

The 2021 NBA champion Jeff Teague, also present on the podcast, took over the story. He recalls, during a playoff game, how Garnett came out the tunnel, slapped the floor, got on all four, and suddenly started growling at him. Demonstrating the growl, the Big Ticket had everyone laughing and co-host Bishop B Henn saying, “Boy was traumatized,” though Teague emphasized the lasting impact of that moment. “I ain’t never forget this,” Teague reiterated, underscoring how deeply it affected him during the game.

However, Teague had his own plans back then. Despite Garnett’s antics, Teague was a huge fan, longing for acknowledgment from his idol. “I just want you to acknowledge me bro I just wanted to be like you,” Teague revealed, highlighting the dual emotions of fear and admiration that the Big Ticket inspired.

The biggest revelation came when Garnett admitted he knew Teague was a fan. Garnett had watched Teague at Wake Forest and believed he had the potential to make it in the league. He intentionally pushed Teague to his limits. Furthermore, Garnett shared that it was a test to see how Teague would handle the pressure. The more it aggravated Teague, the more he stepped up his game. That was exactly what the Big Ticket wanted—to play against the best version of Teague by making him angry.

Time after time, many have shared stories of Garnett’s intense mentality. Saunders, Garnett’s coach for his first 10 seasons said: “he had that right from the beginning—he was always extremely intense”. His former teammate, Sam Mitchell, echoed this sentiment, noting that Garnett’s work ethic never wavered, whether it was a game or practice. Paul Pierce, his teammate during their Boston Celtics days, also admired Garnett’s relentless drive, revealing how Garnett pushed the entire team to perform at their best. “Man, this dude is intense. If you didn’t match his intensity, then he didn’t want you out there,” Pierce said.

Another Crazy Kevin Garnett – Jeff Teague Story

In the same podcast, they revealed another unusual incident. During a playoff game between the Hawks and Celtics in 2012, Jeff Teague threw down a savage dunk over Ray Allen in the third quarter, giving the lead to the Hawks. Teague’s elation led him to taunt Allen, but the celebration was short-lived as the Celtics ultimately won the match.

After the game, Garnett was asked about Teague’s dunk during a post-match interview. The Big Ticket, ever the fierce competitor, dismissed the moment by saying, “I don’t even know who you are talking about. That guy’s a nobody.” Ray Allen, on the other hand, acknowledged that Teague’s taunt gave the Celtics the spark and motivation they needed to clinch the victory.

However, the story didn’t end there. On the podcast, Teague shared that Garnett followed him into the tunnel after the game and continued the taunting. “Don’t f**** with the basketball gods; you’re not like that, don’t do that,” Garnett reportedly told Teague. An example that the mental and emotional battles are as much a part of basketball as the physical game itself.

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