“I chased you dog. What do you want me to do man? Want me to come to China?” - Kevin Garnett admits that he was so close to teaming up with Kobe Bryant but couldn’t get through his phone
Kobe Bryant, Kevin Garnett
© Jayne Kamin-Oncea-USA TODAY Sports
In 2007, Kevin Garnett had a choice to be traded to either the Celtics, Los Angeles Lakers, or Phoenix Suns. As he was debating where to request the Minnesota Timberwolves to trade him, Garnett admitted that he was deciding between teaming up with Kobe Bryant in Los Angeles or forming a big three alongside Paul Pierce and Ray Allen in Boston.
It was a tough decision for Garnett (who at that time was desperate to finally win a championship) as he admitted that he had several phone calls to make before coming up with a conclusion.
One important call to Kobe didn't go through
One vital call Garnett had to make was to Kobe Bryant, who at the time happened to be overseas.
KG revealed that he couldn't get through Kobe's phone and that, unfortunately, played a role in his decision to take his talents to Boston instead. According to the one-time champion, Bryant nagged him about it in the middle of a game and questioned why he never reached out to him.
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"It was down to Boston and LA, and I wanted to talk to Kobe, and I think he was in China at the time doing something for Nike or his tour or something. When I couldn't actually get in contact with him, and it was just taking so long to be able to have a conversation with him, I had to make a decision," KG shared in his appearance on the "Unleashed Podcast."
"The first time we played each other after I had got to Boston, I think it was either Christmas or something, and he's like, 'Man, why you ain't call me?' And I was like, 'Man, I don't wanna hear that sh*t.' He kinda saw my face, I was like this in the free throw line, saying, 'I don't want to hear that sh*t, man.' He's like, 'Man, what number you called?' I was like, 'Man, stop. You got me, you got me. You saw my messages. Your bodyguard, your security. They told you. I know they did,'" Garnett added.
A long-lost opportunity to team up
When Bryant confronted Garnett, he said he didn't get any call or any message from KG. Garnett wasn't buying Bryant's accusations because he knew how much he chased after the Black Mamba and even said that he did, in fact, want to be in Los Angeles.
"He [Kobe] said, 'Man, I was in China, man. Man, hold on.' He wanted to have the conversation right there. I was all like, 'Hey, it's over.' He said, 'Man! You didn't, you didn't want to come to LA.' Yes, I did. You know, how you gonna tell me what I wanted, man? I tried, I chased you dog. What do you want me to do man? Want me to come to China?" Garnett said.
It's crazy how one call that didn't go through might've hindered the chances of KG and Kobe teaming up together. What if Kobe wasn't in China and was available to take Garnett's calls or messages? But also, what if Kobe was telling the truth when he claimed he didn't get anything from KG?
It sure is a hypothetical scenario worth marveling about, but at the very least, the rest of the NBA should be thankful that Bryant didn't receive Garnett's calls. Because if these two indeed legends teamed up in LA, that would've been a nightmare for the rest of the league.
