Kevin Garnett shares his all-time favorite starting lineup: "If you are on my team, you have to play defense"

If you want to make it on Kevin Garnett's all-time list you have to play defense
© Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports
Every NBA fan has their personal preference if you ask him to name his all-time starting five. Most people usually mention familiar names when talking about this topic, and it's interesting to hear what current or former NBA players have to say when asked the same question about their favorite all-time starting lineup.
All-Time favorite lineup
In 2000, when he was establishing himself as one of the most dominant big men in the NBA, Kevin Garnett talked about his all-time starting five, and he shared quite a few exciting names to his list. He covered players from the '60s up until the modern-day NBA, and his list is quite impressive because there were some names that most people probably wouldn't put on their list.
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I would probably have Nate Archibald as my point guard, with Isiah Thomas backing him up. The two guard will have to be hands down Michael Jordan as the best two-guard in the game, but I would either have Oscar Robertson or Jerry West back him up. At the three spot, I would have to go with Scottie Pippen just because I'm a huge fan Scottie Pippen fan. I would also go with Adrian Dantley as my three. Really not as mobile as people would think a three should be, but definitely effective. I would probably have Adrian Dantley back up George Gervin as my three because Gervin is the finger roll specialist. My four-man would have to be Kevin McHale, the master of the inside/outside however you want it game. My all-time center will have to be Wilt Chamberlain. Wilt has done so much for the game. The only man to score 100 points, one of my all-time favorite players. I would probably have Hakeem Olajuwon probably back him up because Dream was so smooth and brings another flair to the center spot. So that is my all-time team.
Kevin Garnett
Larry Bird is excluded from the list
All the players' Garnett mentioned on his all-time favorite team sound legit, and it's an exciting group of talent, which means this would be a tough squad to beat in a seven-game series. Interestingly enough, Garnett said why he left out Larry Bird from his team at the small forward position, all because of his defense. Garnett respects Larry and knows he is a great player, but he wasn't good on defense in his mind, and you have to be a great two-way player to make it on Garnett's list.
At the three spot I didn't mention Larry Bird for that small forward position, but you know Larry Bird was cool, but Larry didn't play too much defense. If you are on my team, you have to play defense.
Kevin Garnett
This shows Garnett's knowledge and familiarity with the history of the league and all the great and talented players that made their impact. Most of the younger players today don't know much about players from the 90s or the 80s, let alone the earlier NBA eras. There is no question Garnett's all-time favorite squad could go up against any team in NBA history in a seven-game series. Since this was the clip from 2000, there is no question his selection for this squad would be a bit different now, but it's a great glimpse into Garnett's view on this over two decades ago.