The NBA has seen a plethora of iconic figures throughout its history. From Magic Johnson and Michael Jordan to Kobe Bryant and LeBron James. Their names resonate with fans of all ages, but there’s a growing trend of under-appreciating these NBA stars. This phenomenon has been a burning topic in the NBA for a long time, and former NBA Champion Kevin Garnett seems to have re-initiated it.

In the latest episode of his podcast, The Big Ticket used a special term to describe today’s athletes who don’t get as much credit as they should. “We talk about aliens. Bro, you know who the aliens are? The aliens are your athletes.” KG calling the athletes aliens sounds right because most of them possess certain abilities that no regular person has. Garnett‘s example of Olympic athletes fits the most because no ordinary person can perform with the caliber that the Olympians perform.

Hezly Rivera, who won gold in the Women’s artistic team all-around, and Noah Lyles, who won gold at the 100-meter race, went highly underappreciated when they returned to the country. NBA superstars like Kevin Durant and Stephen Curry, who played on the National Men’s team and helped the country clinch another Gold also didn’t get as much credit from the fans. 

Garnett also focused on the point that the fans have taken the player’s abilities for granted. He stressed the point that fans nowadays don’t value the time and effort it takes to build the skills. “When we watch the athletes, so much, and so much, you know of years of great greatness, that man, we the fans have become spoiled.”

The 48-year-old urged his fans to compare LeBron James, who is going to be 40 years old, with a regular 40-year-old person. The 4x champ recently demonstrated an elite display of his skills at the Paris Olympics, where he recorded 14 points, 10 rebounds, and 6 assists in the Final to help Team USA win against France (98-87), also earning the tournament MVP. “What he’s doing is truly remarkable,” said Garnett as a token of appreciation for James. However, he didn’t stop with James.

He continued to show his support for Giannis Antetokounmpo, who has played about 253 games in his career with 30+ points. The Greek Freak has been the driving force behind the rise of both the Milwaukee Bucks and Greece. He led the Bucks to the franchise’s first NBA title in 50 years and helped his country qualify for the Olympics for the first time in 16 years.

Kevin Garnett’s analogy of NBA players as “aliens” is a call for fans to appreciate the extraordinary talents we witness on a nightly basis. But even though KG touched on the fact that fans don’t appreciate today’s players, he didn’t get much credit during his prime.

Kevin Garnett was himself an underrated player

Kevin Garnett, a cornerstone of the Boston Celtics’ resurgence in the late 2000s, often finds himself overlooked in discussions of all-time greats. His impact on the game, both as a player and as a leader, was no less than greats like Bryant and Jordan, yet his legacy seems somewhat underrated.

The Big Ticket made his NBA debut in the 1995-96 season and went on to play for 21 seasons in the league. The Minnesota Timberwolves, who had never reached the playoffs before 1995, under the influence of Garnett, reached the playoffs eight consecutive times from 1997 to 2004.

During his stint with the Timberwolves, Garnett averaged 19.8 points and 11 rebounds per game. He became an All-Star when he was only 20 years old and went on to make 15 appearances, making him one of only seven players to do so. He also became an NBA champion in 2008 with the Celtics.

While Garnett may not always be mentioned in the same breath as some of the other all-time greats, his contributions to the game are undeniable. His unique combination of athleticism, leadership, and defensive prowess makes him a truly underrated legend.

“Stay tuned for more such updates and join us for the exciting second episode of the “Dual Threat Show” as our host BG12 sits down with Georgia Bulldogs star and Mountain West All-Freshman Team Selection, Asia Avinger.”