Not the silent type: Garnett speaks from experience
St. Francis - Kevin Garnett was never known as the silent type.
The 40-year-old Garnett was in character Tuesday as he spent time at the Milwaukee Bucks practice session. The man known as "The Big Ticket" could be heard throughout the Cousins Center while he was having animated discussions with several players and imparting some valuable knowledge.
The former Minnesota Timberwolves and Boston Celtics power forward stayed late to talk with Giannis Antetokounmpo, Thon Maker and Khris Middleton. Garnett came at the invitation of Bucks coach Jason Kidd, his former Olympic teammate and former coach with the Brooklyn Nets.
Antetokounmpo, who was celebrating his 22nd birthday, said he tried to soak up everything he could from Garnett, who retired in September after an illustrious 21-year NBA career.
“I’ve talked to a lot of people, a lot of legends, but two of the guys that I really relate to, and I could see the fire in their eyes, were Kobe (Bryant) and KG,” Antetokounmpo said.
“He said the ‘warrior mentality’ at least 200 times. I went there again and I was talking with Khris, and KG again said it 100 more times. He said without it you can't be great in this league."
Garnett had watched some of Antetokounmpo’s game and offered a few words of advice.
“He just told me to create a counter move and just trust my work ethic,” Antetokounmpo said. “He mentioned about a shimmy.
“Simple stuff. He told me when I shoot the fadeaway, look at the back of the rim and not in the front. He’s one of the best people that ever have done this.
“He was the MVP of the league so for one year he was the best player. For him coming and spending some time with us, it’s a great feeling.”
Garnett did not speak to reporters after practice.
Antetokounmpo said the first NBA game he ever watched in his native Greece was a playoff game between Garnett’s Celtics and Bryant's Los Angeles Lakers.
Bucks forward Jabari Parker said he was a big fan of Garnett and looked up to him as a young basketball player growing up in Chicago.
“I had his shoes, everything,” Parker said. “Just seeing him up close and having a chance to hear from him, it stayed in my heart.
“He can offer a different mentality. He’s just a different person. He’s not human, the way he approaches the game.
“If anybody can take a fraction of what he offers, it can change a whole career.”
All-time assists leader John Stockton was with the Bucks for a few days during training camp in Madison in October. Now Garnett is here Tuesday and Wednesday to serve as a consultant.
“It’s easy to follow KG, and it’s also easy to hear him,” Kidd said. “Being able to talk. Even when you don’t know something it’s all right to ask the question, ‘Hey, can you explain it to me?’
“Giannis taking the time to listen to KG, that just shows how much he wants to get better.”
Garnett won an NBA championship with Boston in 2008 and was part of the Celtics team that lost to the Los Angeles Lakers in seven games in the 2010 NBA Finals, in a rematch from ’08.
He was the league MVP in the 2003-’04 season and was a 15-time NBA all-star. Garnett finished his career fifth all-time in games played, third in minutes, 17th in points, 11th in field goals made, ninth in rebounds and first in defensive rebounds.
Milwaukee is coming off a 97-96 home-court loss to San Antonio on Monday, a strong effort that ended in disappointment.
“We’re just one or two plays away,” Parker said. “It’s just little things like the opposing team's offensive rebounding we need to eliminate, getting stops and finding easy ways to get a basket in crunch time.
“It only helps us to play against teams like that, especially the Spurs because they’re the blueprint. We try to mimic them, take stuff they do and implement it in our game.”
Kidd said the Bucks should learn from the loss.
“Every possession means something,” Kidd said. “A lot of the late possessions are always magnified.
“So for us, it’s being able to get a shot, make or miss. We can’t turn the ball over. That just puts that much more heat on your defense.
“Defensively we’re getting there and now the next step is on the offensive end, being able to trust each other.”
The Bucks (10-9) continue a busy week as they meet Portland on Wednesday night and Atlanta on Friday night to conclude a four-game home stand before playing at Washington on Saturday night.