“There are Friends, there is family, and there are friends that become family” Kevin Garnett and Paul Pierce know exactly what that means. After seven seasons together with the Boston Celtics, their bond is undeniable. They’ve had each other’s backs through thick and thin. But like any true friendship, a little trolling here and there is part of the deal. And that’s exactly what Kevin did yesterday.

American musical artist and stand-up comedian Jatty Robinson was performing recently when he dropped a basketball joke that many fans could relate to. One of those fans? None other than Kevin Garnett. The 15-time NBA All-Star found the joke so spot-on that he had to share it on his Instagram story. But here’s the funny thing—Kevin didn’t just share it for the laughs. He thought the joke fit perfectly with his lifelong friend, the ten-time NBA All-Star Paul Pierce. It was as if Jatty had tailored that one just for them.

Kevin didn’t hesitate for a second to share the clip. Jatty Robinson said a line that went, “When people find out you know how to play basketball, they automatically think they better than you.” It’s relatable, sure but not exactly LOL funny. That is, until Kevin added his own spin. In his Instagram story, he pointed straight at his buddy Paul Pierce with the caption, “This is P when we go to the park. 🤣🤣🙄…🫡💯” Just in case anyone wasn’t clear, Kevin made sure to clarify what he meant by “P”. Yep, it’s Paul Pierce.

After seeing the story, one thing is very clear that is Kevin and Paul these two legends are as solid as they come. They’ve had each other’s backs in tough times, always there when the other needed support. But at the same time, these two never miss a chance to mess with each other. They know exactly how to get under each other’s skin, and that’s part of what makes their bond so unique. These two are not really “friends from work”. These two go way back, long before they suited up for the Celtics.

Kevin Garnett and Paul Pierce’s childhood friendship

Paul Pierce and Kevin Garnett’s friendship actually started long before they were teammates with the Celtics. Back in high school, KG traveled from South Carolina to Paul’s hometown of Inglewood, California, for an AAU tournament. Paul took Kevin under his wing, showing him around and, of course, getting into the kind of trouble that high schoolers do. Little did they know, that was the start of a bond that would last a lifetime, only to come full circle two decades later when Garnett made his way to Boston.

It didn’t go exactly as Paul Pierce had hoped, though. Kevin Garnett, who was at Mauldin High School was considering a move to a different school, and Paul went all out trying to recruit him. But Kevin kept his decision close to his chest. When Garnett ultimately committed to Farragut Academy in Chicago, Pierce was crushed. It was clear that Garnett was already setting his sights on a different path, one that led him straight to the NBA.

Garnett opted to skip college and enter the 1995 NBA Draft, where he was selected fifth overall, becoming the first player to be drafted straight from high school since 1975. Meanwhile, Pierce spent three years at Kansas, earning his place as one of the top prospects in the country. In 1998, Pierce was drafted 10th by the Boston Celtics. By that time, Garnett was already making waves in Minnesota, becoming the face of the Timberwolves.

But in the summer of 2007, their paths finally crossed again. This time, Garnett didn’t hesitate. He joined Pierce in Boston and together they helped lead the Celtics to an NBA Championship in 2008. It was the moment that proved Pierce’s gut feeling was right all along, they were meant to win together.