Imagine the Boston Celtics’ last flagbearer of rivalry against the Los Angeles Lakers being honored by an ex-Laker. That’s exactly what Kevin Garnett has recently experienced in exchange for his gesture for the said ex-Laker. Well, there is no doubt that the Celtics-Lakers rivalry still exists, but the last peak of it was witnessed during Garnett’s outings against the Kobe Bryant-led Lakers. But that did not stop KG from showing a mark of respect to Spencer Haywood by inviting the former NBA star on his podcast last year. And what the Celtics legend found in exchange recently was ultimate respect from Woody.

In a recent Instagram post featuring a picture with Garnett, Haywood wrote, “@kgcertified IS ONE OF THE NBA PLAYERS WHO IS SHOWING ME SO MUCH LOVE AND RESPECT ALONG WITH @michaeljordanofficial @kingjames @easymoneysniper @stephencurry30.”

Yes, he put Kevin Garnett in the same breath as Michael Jordan, LeBron James, and other all-time greats. That’s high praise, but coming from Spencer Haywood, it carries even more weight. Haywood’s impact on the game goes far beyond his name recognition.

In his first season with the ABA in 1969-70, Woody was nothing short of dominant. He even won Rookie of the Year and MVP honors while leading the league in both scoring (30.0 PPG) and rebounding (19.5 RPG), setting an all-time ABA record. He carried that dominance into the NBA, too, making a lasting mark on the league.

Yet, despite being part of the Lakers’ championship-winning squad in 1980, Haywood never received his ring. A shocking omission, but one the Lakers’ ownership had its own reasons for making:

Why was Spencer Haywood deprived of his championship ring by the Lakers?

The Los Angeles Lakers had every reason to celebrate in 1980. Winning their first NBA title in eight years was a moment of pure triumph. But while the champagne flowed and the rings were handed out, one player was left with nothing—Spencer Haywood.

Sure, he wasn’t the dominant force he once was, but averaging 9.7 points per game off the bench? That’s still a solid contribution. So, what went wrong? Well, falling asleep during practice at the worst possible time certainly didn’t help.

The Lakers didn’t just bench him—they kicked him off the team entirely. No championship parade. No ring. Nothing. For a player who had fought through a grueling season, that had to sting.

“That’s a bitter taste there, when you’re handing out stuff to everybody and I played all these games, the whole season, at least give me my s***,” Haywood vented in The Spencer Haywood Rule. No wonder that a mark of respect from Kevin Garnett forced him to reciprocate the gesture. Because he knows how it feels to be left out.