When you’ve had a career like Kevin Garnett’s, you’ve got some incredible stories to tell. And the former Boston Celtics legend has at least one gripping story off the court. That involved meeting one of the most famous hip-hop emcees in history. Garnett sat down with GQ for a no-holds-barred disclosure on his career recently. He retold a story that he also shared in his past memoir, KG A to Z. The incident occurred at his first of 15 All-Star game appearances.
Garnett was in Cleveland for his first All-Star Game in February 1997. He met an iconic rapper while out and about in the town and he mistook that person for something else entirely. Now this is a funny story to get into.
That time when Kevin Garnett met Notorious B.I.G.
ADVERTISEMENT
Article continues below this ad
In a career spanning 21 NBA seasons, Kevin Garnett appeared in 15 All-Star Games. For years, the NBA All-Star game has been a melting point for both basketball and hip-hop. This situation created the stage for the moment the ‘Big Ticket’ met the Notorious B.I.G.
KG shared this story in his memoir too and revisited it in his recent GQ interview. The meeting happened in February 1997 in Cleveland. Garnett was going into his hotel when, in his own words, he noticed a “long a** limo.”
Biggie stepped out of the limo in a voluminous coat. Garnett mistook him for something else as he told GQ.
“I’m young. I’m like, ‘DAMN, LOOK AT THE LIMO! THIS S**T BIG AS S**T!’ So then B.I.G. got out the joint, and I just remember it was two chicks under the f**king coat! He had this big-a*s mink on, and I was like, ‘Damn, is this pimpin’ going on? What the f**k?‘”
Not only that, Biggie was breathing heavily. Garnett mistakenly assumed he was having an asthma attack.
In his memoir, Garnett also said that Puffy (now known as Sean Combs) was with him. Puffy noticed Garnett and invited him over. Garnett was star-struck meeting hip-hop royalty.
Biggie would invite Garnett to his hotel room, but the young NBA player politely turned him down. He now told GQ he wished he had taken the offer. Notorious B.I.G. was murdered in a drive-by shooting a month later on March 9, 1997.
A young NBA star earned Garnett’s respect
ADVERTISEMENT
Article continues below this ad
Garnett apparently narrated several stories off the record. While we don’t know what they were, there’s never a shortage of narratives from the retired pro.
Most recently, he’s given Jaylen Brown his seal of approval for a very poignant topic. Brown and Garnett’s former team, the Celtics, have agreed on a whopping $304 million contract extension. But rather than the contract, it’s Brown’s desire to end wealth disparity that caught Garnett’s eye.
KG understands the significance. When he was 21, he signed a contract extension with the Minnesota Timberwolves worth $126 million. As soon as he saw Brown’s interview, he was publicly vocalizing his respect for Brown.
ADVERTISEMENT
Article continues below this ad
Garnett can’t meet Biggie Smalls again. But we hope he will share a platform with Jaylen Brown in the near future.
Watch This Story | “He Ain’t Steph Lmaoo”: Days After Viral Stephen Curry Video, Drake Recreates a Similar Moment with 3 x All-Star, Leaving Fans in a Laugh Riot