"You're like, 'How do I even respond to that?'" - Kevin Garnett thinks Hakeem Olajuwon was an underappreciated trash talker
Kevin Garnett built up quite a reputation for being a relentless trash talker. He could jab at anyone — rookies, veterans, teammates in practice, All-Stars — on national television. It wasn't just volume or vulgarity.
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Garnett weaponized psychology.
He'd lock in with a scowl, a growl and an arsenal of mind games that disrupted rhythm and exposed hesitation. Yet, as one of the game's fiercest antagonists, "The Big Ticket" also had a radar for recognizing when someone could throw it right back, perhaps even in a way he hadn't seen coming.
Olajuwon's trash-talking
Garnett himself isn't immune to facing trash talk dished to him. He has faced his fair share of trash talkers, but surprisingly, one name that isn't mostly associated with verbal jabs stands out.
"[Hakeem] Olajuwon, another motherf—r that talk s— to you," Garnett said. "Olajuwon would do s— like take his mouthpiece off and say, 'I'm a hit him with a lateral movement, he can't do anything." You're like, 'How do I even respond to that? … I don't have nothing for that."
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While Garnett often raised the temperature in the room, Olajuwon cooled it down, like a chess grandmaster letting his opponent know five moves in advance how they were going to lose. The Houston Rockets legend didn't need to raise his voice to own the conversation — and that's what made it land harder
By the time Garnett entered the league in 1995, Olajuwon was at the summit.
Fresh off back-to-back championships in 1994 and 1995, the Nigerian-born center had already claimed a league MVP, two Finals MVP awards, and two Defensive Player of the Year awards. In the playoffs, it thoroughly dismantled the likes of Patrick Ewing, David Robinson, and Shaquille O'Neal.
Garnett, a wiry 19-year-old jumping straight from high school, entered the NBA during Olajuwon's dominance. And yet, what KG remembers isn't just the footwork, the shot fakes, the blocks from the weak side. It's the monologue that accompanied them.
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Related: Rick Fox reveals the best way to earn Kobe Bryant's respect: "He doesn't respect you if unless you challenge him, all the way up to fighting"
Having an edge
Olajuwon's name typically comes up in conversations about skill, elegance and the evolution of the big man. He retired in 2002 with over 26,000 career points and 13 All-Star appearances and remains the NBA's all-time leader in blocked shots. What's often underplayed is just how cerebral and vocal he was on the court.
Players like Garnett thrived on energy, noise, friction, and adrenaline. Olajuwon floated in the opposite current. His demeanor remained still, almost philosophical, even as he humiliated defenders with a flurry of pivots, pump fakes, and drop steps that felt like ballet wrapped in violence.
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To Garnett, who battled against the very best for two decades, the recognition comes from admiration of Olajuwon's competitive persona. It's a nod to the underappreciated art of quiet domination because the center didn't just beat players; he narrated it.
And in doing so, he entered the elite circle of trash talkers who could shake a player not with rage but with prophecy.
"The Dream" played in the NBA until 2002, right about the time Garnett was starting to hit his strides as one of the most relentless trash-talkers and competitive players in the game.
Related: The Undertaker recalls playing pick-up ball with Hakeem Olajuwon: "Hakeem made me look like I am Magic Johnson"
This story was originally reported by Basketball Network on Jun 18, 2025, where it first appeared.
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