“I still have my quickness, but I turn it on and off.” Kenny Anderson said that later in his career, but back in college? Man, he didn’t just have quickness, he was slick with it. And he was not afraid to show it. No defense stood a chance. If you don’t know much about him, let me break it down. This dude was a four-time Parade All-American and the first player ever to be named All-City four times! And guess what? Even Kevin Garnett, a Hall of Famer and an all-time great has nothing but love and respect for his senior. That says everything.

When a clip of Kenny Anderson’s legendary crossover on Bobby Hurley resurfaced, Garnett couldn’t hold back and had to pay his respects. The Hall of Famer shared the video on his Instagram story, calling it what it was, pure basketball poetry. If you haven’t seen it, let’s rewind to 1991. Georgia Tech vs. Duke. Anderson, the NYC streetball maestro, squares up against Hurley, Duke’s defensive genius. And then it came. One lightning-quick move and Hurley is lost in the sauce, grasping at thin air. Anderson blows past him like a gust of wind, finishing at the rim with the effortless swagger.

Garnett’s reaction? Sheer awe. And honestly, who could blame him? That crossover wasn’t just about breaking ankles. It was about rewriting basketball physics. Anderson’s shift from left to right was so smooth, so deceptive, that Hurley, normally a defensive chess master, looked like he was playing checkers. And now, decades later, that move still holds up, making highlight reels and igniting debates about the greatest crossovers ever. And when Kevin Garnett, one of the fiercest competitors the game has ever seen, stops to salute it, you know it’s special.

Kavin shared the post with a caption that proved to the world how much this legend respects his senior from the Celtics. He wrote, “Mannnnnnnn…. This was sooo electric⚡when he did this… shook the world with this Kenny A.Respect.. one of my favs of all time” If KG’s hyped like this, you know it’s real. The game recognizes greatness, and Kenny Anderson? He had that magic that left even legends in awe.

Kevin Garnett’s name is often thrown around in GOAT conversations, and for good reason. But here’s the thing, he never played with or against Kenny Anderson, yet his respect for him is off the charts. But KG didn’t just hand out respect for anyone. There were a few players he truly admired and even he knew he had to be on high alert when defending them. Any guesses about who made that list?

Kevin Garnett Spills: why MJ was a bigger nightmare than LeBron James

Kevin Garnett went toe-to-toe with two of the greatest ever, Michael Jordan and LeBron James. And while he respects both, his mindset around them couldn’t have been more different. KG entered the NBA in 1996 when MJ was at his peak. At that point, Jordan wasn’t just the biggest sports icon, he was the most feared player in the league. And even though Garnett was as tough as they come, facing MJ and the Bulls? That was different. “Michael Jordan I looked at as God,” KG said in 2021, per GQ. “And I thought he was my version of what basketball looked like.” 

By the time LeBron James arrived, KG was already a veteran. He knew the kid from Akron had talent, and the two had plenty of battles, especially when Garnett was with the Boston Celtics. But fear? That wasn’t part of the equation. “And with LeBron, it was more like the little homie,” KG admitted. “Here’s the little homie growing up, and man, little homie is getting better than everybody!”

Like KG, LeBron skipped college and jumped straight into the league. Because of that, Garnett had a special connection with him. He didn’t just see LeBron as a rival; he wanted him to become a ferocious beast on the court, more like him.

At the end of the day, MJ was the ultimate nightmare, while LeBron was the ultimate challenge. Two different eras, two different battles, but both shaped Garnett’s legendary career. And if Garnett respects you, that means you earned it.