It is human nature to grow, and in this race, we tend to focus more on ourselves than on taking everyone along, and the NBA is no different. Here too, many stars focus on individual dominance, but only a select few lifts their teammates. They orchestrate the game from the sidelines, much like the “Littlefinger” from GOT. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander belongs to that rare group. He isn’t just turning heads with his on-court brilliance, now he’s earning praise from legends for something deeper. This time his unselfish play style caught the attention of Kevin Garnett, another legend of the court who knows exactly what it takes to lead.

On a recent episode of BetMGM Tonight, Kevin Garnett spotlighted NBA players who deserve more recognition. In a league where highlight reels often favor flashy plays and high-flying dunks, Garnett pointed to a different kind of star. “If any players built for like the limelight, I say it’s this kid (Shai Gilgeous-Alexander)” Garnett said. Before adding, “This kid has always been chill, He’s always played the Bruce Wayne, he’s always played like the fly a– kid to the side.”

 Garnett’s remarks show that he’s been following SGA for some time now. Over the past three seasons, Gilgeous-Alexander has averaged over 30 points per game and nearly six assists. So now you can understand where Garnett’s remarks are coming from.

Garnett didn’t stop at the podcast, he took his praise to Instagram. He shared the clip and made it clear how much respect SGA has already earned from The Big Ticket. But despite his dominance on the court and recognition from icons like Garnett, it still wasn’t enough to secure the 2024 MVP title. While fans and analysts debated the decision, Garnett kept his message simple. He dropped a salute in the comments: “Shout to Shai🫡💯 @shai.”

So, it’s no surprise that Garnett picked SGA as his MVP. On the same podcast, he reflected on how much SGA has improved each year. “He is just continuing to grow, man. He’s my pick for MVP this year,” Garnett said. And honestly, who could blame him? SGA has been a beast on the court, not just this season but last year too.

Garnett doubled down on his praise, saying, “He’s been the most consistent,” while also noting, “I’m looking for bigger and better things with him.” More importantly, Garnett knows firsthand how much work it takes to reach that level, and he made sure to acknowledge it. “You can’t get there without the work… shoutout to SGA, man.” Garnet perfectly knows to show respect where it’s due, but this isn’t the first time Garnett has gone to bat for a player.

Kevin Garnett was left speechless by Clark

The 2024 Final Four showdown between Iowa and UConn was nothing short of a thriller, and Caitlin Clark was at the heart of it. The superstar guard lighted up the scoreboard with 20 points by the fourth quarter and proved once again why she’s one of the biggest names in college basketball. Even Kevin Garnett couldn’t help but marvel at her performance. A man known for his endless words and enthusiasm was suddenly at a loss. Taking to X, he simply posted, “Caitlin…Lord…face guard, double teams. Whatever..” Well, it was a rare moment of speechlessness from the outspoken Hall of Famer.

But that’s the Caitlin Clark effect. Her dominance didn’t just fuel Iowa’s victory over UConn, it carried the Hawkeyes to the championship game where they ultimately fell short against South Carolina. Still, Clark’s impact was huge and Garnett had already recognized it earlier in the year.

On his podcast, Garnett made a bold statement about her marketability and star power. He said, “She got arguably the most momentum of any athlete right now. She’s the hottest athlete of anything. bro, real s— and she ain’t even won that s—.” And he was arguably right. However, what do you think?