Latest news with #KevinGarnett
Yahoo
18 hours ago
- Sport
- Yahoo
"With LeBron, it was more like the little homie" - Kevin Garnett on why many players don't view LeBron James the same as Michael Jordan
"With LeBron, it was more like the little homie" - Kevin Garnett on why many players don't view LeBron James the same as Michael Jordan originally appeared on Basketball Network. It's been said before, but coming from Kevin Garnett, it lands a little heavier. This is a man who went to war for 21 seasons, left everything on the floor every night and never held back when it came to giving credit or talking trash. So when Garnett draws a line between Michael Jordan and LeBron James, it's less about stats or GOAT debate and more about legacy as seen from within the fraternity. It's about presence. It's about how one man redefined the game and another reengineered how long one could stay great. Jordan, the ultimate GOAT In his prime, Jordan was more than just a revolutionary player. He was a force of nature. Before James was crowned The Chosen One, Garnett, like nearly every teenager with a hoop dream in the '90s, saw Jordan as the blueprint. Not just the player to beat, but the one who seemed untouchable. "It's a different level of respect," Garnett said of how players categorize Jordan. "[...] he was my version of what basketball looked like. And with LeBron, it was more like the little homie. Here's the little homie growing up and man, little homie is getting better than everybody." "God damn ... I definitely talked some s— to him. I've definitely said some crazy s— to him. He's definitely said some crazy s— back to me," he added. This was the truth of that era. Garnett came into the league in 1995, just as Jordan returned from baseball and reclaimed the league like he never left. The Chicago Bulls were the apex predators and Jordan was the engine. Garnett entered that world as a teenager straight out of high school, wide-eyed but unafraid and found himself playing against his childhood idol. But James' story took a different arc. Drafted in 2003, eight years after Garnett, he was never the mythic figure lurking in the distance; he was the new kid coming in, learning on the fly, growing under the spotlight. And Garnett, still very much in his prime in the mid-2000s, saw James differently. He wasn't an untouchable figurehead, but as someone to test, to talk trash to, to try and shake. To Garnett, Jordan was the summit, James was the climber and from his vantage point, the reverence for Jordan wasn't just about talent, it was about timing, dominance and impact. Jordan's era had fewer distractions, less noise and more mystery that made him the undisputed all-time great in the eyes of weight of legacy Still, while Garnett places Jordan in a singular space of a status that is simply unattainable for most, he doesn't shy away from giving James his flowers, particularly when it comes to longevity. That's where Garnett, who played until 40, understands exactly what it takes to survive in the league for two decades, let alone remain the face of it. "You've gotta have that in you to be able to have those shoulders to carry it," the Hall of Famer said of James. "No man is perfect in this s— and there ain't no telltale book on how to do this s—. He's done a great f—ing job. I just felt like it was only right to give him that respect." Garnett battled with James in multiple playoff series, from the heated Boston Celtics–Cleveland Cavaliers rivalry to the Miami Heat–Celtics wars that defined the late 2000s and early 2010s. Garnett was never interested in befriending opponents, especially not those trying to dethrone him. But even in the fire, he saw the growth. The Kid from Akron became the Iron Man of the NBA. Jordan's dominance may have felt absolute, but it lived in an age of limited access and one-dimensional coverage. James has existed in 24/7 news cycles, constant social media surveillance and shifting expectations. And yet, over two decades in, he's still putting up numbers and rewriting what it means to be elite at 40-going-on-41. Garnett, who played against both, seems to understand that perhaps greatness isn't one thing; it morphs depending on the story was originally reported by Basketball Network on Jul 27, 2025, where it first appeared.
Yahoo
3 days ago
- Sport
- Yahoo
Isiah Thomas recalled a high school Kevin Garnett dominating in a pick-up game vs. Michael Jordan and Scottie Pippen: "It was one of the most poetic, beautiful experiences I had"
Isiah Thomas recalled a high school Kevin Garnett dominating in a pick-up game vs. Michael Jordan and Scottie Pippen: "It was one of the most poetic, beautiful experiences I had" originally appeared on Basketball Network. Kevin Garnett's leap from high school straight into the NBA in 1995 wasn't a gamble but a moment that had been simmering behind the curtain for years, witnessed by those who could already see the future. One of them was NBA Hall of Famer Isiah Thomas, whose history in the game goes beyond his playing days and deep into the fabric of talent evaluation and legacy-building. Thomas' observation Thomas was no longer donning the Detroit Pistons jersey but navigating the infancy of the Toronto Raptors. His eye was cast far and wide for someone who could serve as the soul of a new franchise. And then came Garnett. "I had targeted him as the person that I wanted to draft and start our franchise with," Thomas said of Garnett. "Being in his presence... it was overwhelming. You felt his energy, his intensity, his passion, his love for his craft in high school, beyond anybody else who was in the gym." "It was one of the most poetic, beautiful experiences I had had or felt from a young player," he added. This wasn't flowery praise. It was a window into the exact kind of conviction that defined Thomas as both a player and an executive. He saw Garnett not just as a talented big man but as a force of nature in motion. The gym where this impression was cemented wasn't just any gym. It was in Chicago, and the pickup game featured none other than Michael Jordan and Scottie Pippen, two icons who had already rewritten the rules of excellence by then. Thomas, who grew up on the west side of Chicago himself, knew exactly what a gym like that meant. Those kinds of gyms had always birthed legends, men whose names lived on in whispered stories long after the lights dimmed. Garnett walked into that same space with no professional contract, shoe deal and draft buzz. Just raw will. What Garnett did in that pickup game was not merely impressive; it shifted the temperature in the room. He didn't defer. He didn't ask for space. He took it. The game, according to Thomas, was supposed to showcase dominance, not discover it. Yet he made the kind of statement that validated every whisper coming out of Farragut wasn't waiting for permission In 1995, Garnett became the first player in two decades to leap from high school straight into the league. The last to do so had been Darryl Dawkins and Bill Willoughby in 1975. The landscape had changed dramatically since then, with the league having become far more technical, media-dense and physically unforgiving. For Garnett to enter through that door meant he had to redefine what readiness looked like. The 1995 draft eventually saw the Minnesota Timberwolves take him with the fifth overall pick. Thomas didn't get his man. But the memory remained. That moment in Chicago, that burst of energy and purpose, stuck with him, not just as a scout or executive but as someone who had lived through every kind of basketball war and still felt something new that day. Isiah already understood that Garnett's greatness was never theoretical. It had already been tested, in a no-frills gym with Jordan and Pippen on the floor, where reputations are either built or burned. What made Garnett stand out was talent and the refusal to be intimidated by proximity to greatness. That defiance would become his signature. In Boston, it would show up in his defensive scowls and locker-room sermons. In Minnesota, it would fuel his loyalty through years of franchise hardship. The high schooler Thomas once watched in a Chicago gym had become the blueprint for the next generation of prep-to-pro stars: Kobe Bryant, LeBron James, Dwight Howard. But even among them, Garnett was different. He hadn't walked through the NBA's doors quietly; he had kicked them story was originally reported by Basketball Network on Jul 26, 2025, where it first appeared.
Yahoo
6 days ago
- Sport
- Yahoo
39-Year-Old Michael Jordan Was Torching Kevin Garnett - Proving He'd Be Unstoppable In Today's NBA
39-Year-Old Michael Jordan Was Torching Kevin Garnett - Proving He'd Be Unstoppable In Today's NBA originally appeared on Fadeaway World. At 39 years old, well past the age when most NBA stars hang it up, Michael Jordan was still cooking one of the best defenders of his era: Kevin Garnett. During his time with the Washington Wizards, Jordan delivered a scorching stretch against the Minnesota Timberwolves, scoring on four straight possessions with a surgical combination of skill, strength, and poise. It was a glimpse of why Jordan's game, even at nearly 40, would dominate today's NBA without question. The first bucket was classic MJ: a simple screen at the left wing created just enough separation, and Jordan rose for a mid-range jumper that hit nothing but net. The next play, he caught the ball on the left side, drove hard into the lane, and laid it in over the Wolves' help defense, absorbing contact and still finishing. Then came the explosion. Jordan blew by Garnett with a tight first step and threw down a thunderous one-handed dunk, electrifying the crowd and turning back the clock. And he wasn't done. Jordan caught it on the wing next, backed down his man, rose up, and nailed a contested fadeaway jumper, the very shot that became his signature move. To cap it off, he then came off an inbounds play, pulled up from mid-range once more, and drew a foul. In a span of minutes, 39-year-old Michael Jordan lit up a defense led by Kevin Garnett, a Defensive Player of the Year, perennial All-Star, and one of the most versatile bigs in history. Now imagine that version of Jordan, but in today's NBA. In the modern league, Jordan wouldn't be fighting through packed paint or clutch-and-grab defenders every possession. He'd have elite spacing, more transition opportunities, and wide-open mid-range lanes thanks to spread pick-and-rolls. With defenses now more focused on guarding the three and protecting the rim, the mid-range game is often left open, and no one ever mastered it like Jordan. He would punish drop coverage, annihilate soft switches, and feast on smaller wings who can't match his strength or footwork. The one knock people love to bring up is his three-point shooting. But here's the truth: Jordan improved his range as he aged, shooting 37% from three in the 1995-96 season. He didn't need to take a high volume because the game wasn't built that way, but he could adapt, just like all-time greats do. With modern spacing and shot development, MJ would be more than competent from deep, especially with how open today's looks are. In any era, greatness rises. And watching a 39-year-old Jordan torch Kevin Garnett is all the proof anyone needs. Prime MJ in today's league? That's 35 points a night minimum with surgical footwork, deadly mid-range mastery, and enough swagger to dominate every single story was originally reported by Fadeaway World on Jul 15, 2025, where it first appeared.
The Independent
21-07-2025
- Entertainment
- The Independent
Hollywood meets NBA hardwood: A look inside the rise of the Summer League Film Festival
While Bronny James and other young talent were lighting up the NBA Summer League court in Las Vegas, another game was being played just a few steps away: One with scripts, storyboards and studio buzz. Inside the Thomas & Mack Center, just as the league wrapped up Sunday, a different kind of crowd formed. Hollywood execs, producers and curious power players were slipping away from the basketball action to catch a slate of 34 film projects created by NBA stars past and present. More than just film screenings, it's an emerging playground where sports and the art of storytelling collide. From baseline to backlot, the Summer League Film Festival is generating off-court buzz — with the likes of Hall of Famer Kevin Garnett, actor-producer Mark Wahlberg and filmmaker Deon Taylor joining the mix. Conversations are building on turning this three-day showcase into a launchpad for athlete-filmmakers, backed by film industry veterans who understand both the creative and business sides of shaping ideas and grooming projects for the screen. 'This definitely has legs,' said retired NBA player Stacey Augmon after previewing 'UNLV: Kings of Vegas,' a documentary chronicling the untold story of the Runnin' Rebels in the Strip View Pavilion. A 10-minute clip was screened before a packed audience, including Sundance Film Festival director Michelle Satter and production companies like the Wahlberg co-owned Unrealistic Ideas and Alcon Entertainment, the company behind 'The Book of Eli' and 'Blade Runner 2049.' Like other entries, the 'Kings of Vegas' team showcased select footage, including interviews with high-profile names such as Snoop Dogg, Chuck D and Jimmy Kimmel, alongside UNLV legends Augmon, Larry Johnson, Greg Anthony and others. After the screening, the producers and cast discussed the film's origins, drawing a standing ovation from the crowd. The documentary remains in development, but Augmon says the film festival is already proving its worth. 'This gives us another great avenue,' said Augmon, who played on the Runnin' Rebels team that won the 1990 NCAA championship before his 15-season NBA career. His college teammate, Anderson Hunt, said sharing their authentic, real-life stories offer a major advantage like never before, unlocking new pathways to getting their projects financed and sold. 'We have control of what's coming out,' Hunt said. 'People might know about our stories through the internet. But stuff like this takes our platform to the next level. This is great for us, and Deon is like a golden child.' From hardwood to Hollywood The festival spotlighted stories produced by NBA stars past and present including Nikola Jokic, Luguentz Dort, Tony Allen, Nate Robinson, Kyle Anderson, Cole Anthony, Keyon Dooling and Udonis Haslem. Deon and Roxanne Avent Taylor of Hidden Empire Film Group were tapped to infuse the festival with seasoned filmmaking expertise, helping bridge the worlds of sports and entertainment. He played a key role in encouraging Hollywood insiders to show up, especially during the NBA Summer League's final stretch to keep the closing days as enticing as opening week. Taylor credited NBA Summer League co-founder Albert Hall for having the foresight to spark the collaboration. 'This is all invaluable,' said Hall, who cofounded the league with Warren LeGarie in 2004. 'The players make money, no doubt about it. They invest in these projects. But they don't really know what the system can provide or how to approach it. Kind of like a young executive getting into the sport or a young player trying to be seen and get exposure. It's the same way. They have to be coached up.' Hall said the partnership with Hidden Empire was a natural next step following their successful collaboration with the NFL and Skydance Sports, where they led film training sessions in March for more than 20 current and former NFL players. He added that having Wahlberg and Archie Gips of Unrealistic Ideas on board brings more industry muscle to strengthen the initiative and help drive it forward. Taylor said the festival is a door opener for the athletes. 'It's a gateway for athletes to share their art, do their art and be creative without anyone questioning them,' said Taylor, director of 'Black and Blue,' 'The Intruder, 'Meet the Blacks' and 'Fatale.' A former basketball player in East Germany turned independent filmmaker, he said true artistry requires neither a film school nor a Hollywood pedigree. 'The greatest artists are the ones that draw, create, build, shoot in the face of negativity and who paint pictures of what they see in the times that they live in,' Taylor said. 'You can only do that if you live in this culture. You can do that if you've lived and experienced it. You can't do that from a high-rise building with no pain. These guys come from adversity in life and sports.' Is the film fest worth the buzz? EverWonder Studio president Michael Antinoro certainly thinks so, and then some. He sees the film festival as more than a one-off spectacle in Las Vegas. In Antinoro's eyes, it could become the Oscars of athlete-driven storytelling with satellite versions popping up in the NBA arenas throughout the season. He sees value in helping standout projects secure the final funding and reach the right distributors. 'If we can add any value, we're in the rooms talking to all the networks and streamers that distributes films,' said Antinoro, a founding partner of the studio, which specializes in nonfiction content, documentaries and live events. The company served as co-executive producer on 'Defiant: The Manny Pacquiao Obsession' in 2019 and produced projects featuring Mike Tyson and Brett Favre. 'We're talking to them a lot. It's all about exposure,' he said. 'Some of these films maybe need a little more money just to get them over the line. If it makes sense, we can play a little there too.' How can Sundance play a role? For Michelle Satter, it's all about fostering a supportive creative community. She sees promising potential in what's taking shape at the Summer League Film Festival. While it's still early, Satter can envision a future where projects from the festival eventually find their way into Sundance. 'Why not? Of course,' said Satter, a founding figure at Sundance since 1981. She now serves as the founding senior director of Sundance Institute's artist programs. She's exploring how it might support the festival after being invited by Taylor. Sundance already has an existing partnership with Taylor's Hidden Empire. She called the opportunity to collaborate on this new venture both exciting and aligned with Sundance's mission to uplift emerging voices in storytelling. Satter's late son, Michael Latt, had his documentary short 'Hoops, Hopes & Dreams' premiere at Sundance early this year. She said Sundance gets about 15,000 short film submissions each year, but there's room for compelling storytelling that opens up new perspective from an athlete's lens. 'That was the power of storytelling, the unity of sports and bringing people together in community,' she said. 'I love the idea. These are the stories people need to see. They need to be out there in the world.'
Associated Press
21-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Associated Press
Hollywood meets NBA hardwood: A look inside the rise of the Summer League Film Festival
LAS VEGAS (AP) — While Bronny James and other young talent were lighting up the NBA Summer League court in Las Vegas, another game was being played just a few steps away: One with scripts, storyboards and studio buzz. Inside the Thomas & Mack Center, just as the league wrapped up Sunday, a different kind of crowd formed. Hollywood execs, producers and curious power players were slipping away from the basketball action to catch a slate of 34 film projects created by NBA stars past and present. More than just film screenings, it's an emerging playground where sports and the art of storytelling collide. From baseline to backlot, the Summer League Film Festival is generating off-court buzz — with the likes of Hall of Famer Kevin Garnett, actor-producer Mark Wahlberg and filmmaker Deon Taylor joining the mix. Conversations are building on turning this three-day showcase into a launchpad for athlete-filmmakers, backed by film industry veterans who understand both the creative and business sides of shaping ideas and grooming projects for the screen. 'This definitely has legs,' said retired NBA player Stacey Augmon after previewing 'UNLV: Kings of Vegas,' a documentary chronicling the untold story of the Runnin' Rebels in the Strip View Pavilion. A 10-minute clip was screened before a packed audience, including Sundance Film Festival director Michelle Satter and production companies like the Wahlberg co-owned Unrealistic Ideas and Alcon Entertainment, the company behind 'The Book of Eli' and 'Blade Runner 2049.' Like other entries, the 'Kings of Vegas' team showcased select footage, including interviews with high-profile names such as Snoop Dogg, Chuck D and Jimmy Kimmel, alongside UNLV legends Augmon, Larry Johnson, Greg Anthony and others. After the screening, the producers and cast discussed the film's origins, drawing a standing ovation from the crowd. The documentary remains in development, but Augmon says the film festival is already proving its worth. 'This gives us another great avenue,' said Augmon, who played on the Runnin' Rebels team that won the 1990 NCAA championship before his 15-season NBA career. His college teammate, Anderson Hunt, said sharing their authentic, real-life stories offer a major advantage like never before, unlocking new pathways to getting their projects financed and sold. 'We have control of what's coming out,' Hunt said. 'People might know about our stories through the internet. But stuff like this takes our platform to the next level. This is great for us, and Deon is like a golden child.' From hardwood to Hollywood The festival spotlighted stories produced by NBA stars past and present including Nikola Jokic, Luguentz Dort, Tony Allen, Nate Robinson, Kyle Anderson, Cole Anthony, Keyon Dooling and Udonis Haslem. Deon and Roxanne Avent Taylor of Hidden Empire Film Group were tapped to infuse the festival with seasoned filmmaking expertise, helping bridge the worlds of sports and entertainment. He played a key role in encouraging Hollywood insiders to show up, especially during the NBA Summer League's final stretch to keep the closing days as enticing as opening week. Taylor credited NBA Summer League co-founder Albert Hall for having the foresight to spark the collaboration. 'This is all invaluable,' said Hall, who cofounded the league with Warren LeGarie in 2004. 'The players make money, no doubt about it. They invest in these projects. But they don't really know what the system can provide or how to approach it. Kind of like a young executive getting into the sport or a young player trying to be seen and get exposure. It's the same way. They have to be coached up.' Hall said the partnership with Hidden Empire was a natural next step following their successful collaboration with the NFL and Skydance Sports, where they led film training sessions in March for more than 20 current and former NFL players. He added that having Wahlberg and Archie Gips of Unrealistic Ideas on board brings more industry muscle to strengthen the initiative and help drive it forward. Taylor said the festival is a door opener for the athletes. 'It's a gateway for athletes to share their art, do their art and be creative without anyone questioning them,' said Taylor, director of 'Black and Blue,' 'The Intruder, 'Meet the Blacks' and 'Fatale.' A former basketball player in East Germany turned independent filmmaker, he said true artistry requires neither a film school nor a Hollywood pedigree. 'The greatest artists are the ones that draw, create, build, shoot in the face of negativity and who paint pictures of what they see in the times that they live in,' Taylor said. 'You can only do that if you live in this culture. You can do that if you've lived and experienced it. You can't do that from a high-rise building with no pain. These guys come from adversity in life and sports.' Is the film fest worth the buzz? EverWonder Studio president Michael Antinoro certainly thinks so, and then some. He sees the film festival as more than a one-off spectacle in Las Vegas. In Antinoro's eyes, it could become the Oscars of athlete-driven storytelling with satellite versions popping up in the NBA arenas throughout the season. He sees value in helping standout projects secure the final funding and reach the right distributors. 'If we can add any value, we're in the rooms talking to all the networks and streamers that distributes films,' said Antinoro, a founding partner of the studio, which specializes in nonfiction content, documentaries and live events. The company served as co-executive producer on 'Defiant: The Manny Pacquiao Obsession' in 2019 and produced projects featuring Mike Tyson and Brett Favre. 'We're talking to them a lot. It's all about exposure,' he said. 'Some of these films maybe need a little more money just to get them over the line. If it makes sense, we can play a little there too.' How can Sundance play a role? For Michelle Satter, it's all about fostering a supportive creative community. She sees promising potential in what's taking shape at the Summer League Film Festival. While it's still early, Satter can envision a future where projects from the festival eventually find their way into Sundance. 'Why not? Of course,' said Satter, a founding figure at Sundance since 1981. She now serves as the founding senior director of Sundance Institute's artist programs. She's exploring how it might support the festival after being invited by Taylor. Sundance already has an existing partnership with Taylor's Hidden Empire. She called the opportunity to collaborate on this new venture both exciting and aligned with Sundance's mission to uplift emerging voices in storytelling. Satter's late son, Michael Latt, had his documentary short 'Hoops, Hopes & Dreams' premiere at Sundance early this year. She said Sundance gets about 15,000 short film submissions each year, but there's room for compelling storytelling that opens up new perspective from an athlete's lens. 'That was the power of storytelling, the unity of sports and bringing people together in community,' she said. 'I love the idea. These are the stories people need to see. They need to be out there in the world.'
