Future Hall of Fame member Kevin Garnett was a dear friend to the late Kobe Bryant. The two iconic superstars were generational talents who took the NBA by storm. They would go on their own journeys, being fierce competitors on the floor, while maintaining a close relationship off the court. The bond was special and it has been like that since the first time they met.
In his new book called KG: A to Z: An Uncensored Encyclopedia of Life, Basketball, and Everything In Between, Garnett, who was then with the Minnesota Timberwolves, shared his experience meeting Kobe in his rookie year with the Los Angeles Lakers in 1996 (h/t to Bleacher Report).
“Whassup, KG,” he said. “I'm Kobe.”
“Whassup,” I shot back. “But why is yo ass in my seat? Get the f**k outta my seat.”
From there, their friendship instantly blossomed. According to Garnett, he saw himself in Kobe, another young teenager who went straight to the NBA right out of high school. At that time, Garnett was just 19 years old and the Lakers stud was two years younger. The Big Ticket already got his feet wet in the league and he was more than happy to answer Kobe's questions about the NBA since, apparently, he had a ton.
“Is it really as aggressive as it looks out there?”
“Hell, yes, it's aggressive.”
“Is it rough being a rook?”
“Rough as f**k.”
“How do you mean?”
“It's about paying dues. About standing up to vets who see you as a threat. About getting your ass kicked. About standing your ground.”
And, just like Garnett advised, Kobe did pay his dues. He immediately made a splash by winning the Slam Dunk Contest and was named to the All-Rookie Second Team. The rest was history as Kobe carved a legendary career.
Kevin Garnett didn't just see himself being an older brother to Kobe Bryant, he saw a younger him in The Black Mamba, a 2.0 version of him as he dramatically puts it.
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