Joakim Noah Does Not Like Kevin Garnett…

Posted by Brendan Jackson on Nov 11, 2010 105058 commentshttp%3A%2F%2Fcelticshub.com%2F2010%2F11%2F11%2Fjoakim-noah-does-not-like-kevin-garnett%2FJoakim+Noah+Does+Not+Like+Kevin+Garnett...2010-11-11+18%3A27%3A04Brendan+Jacksonhttp%3A%2F%2Fcelticshub.com%2F%3Fp%3D10505

…and I don’t know who cares less, myself or Garnett.

Before we get into this, let’s examine what Noah said about Garnett in an interview with the “The Waddle & Silvy Show” on ESPN 1000 (via ESPNChicago):

“Kevin Garnett will not — will not — get a Christmas gift from me.  I don’t like him.  He’s a very mean guy.  Where’s the love? None at all. Ugly, too.  I had his poster in my room,  I used to wear his jersey. And the truth is my rookie year, I was in admiration of this guy, and he kind of shut me down.  And he was very mean to me my rookie year. And he’s only mean to the young guys and the [European players], for some reason. I don’t know why, but that’s who he doesn’t like. He’s not nice. I talk a lot of trash out there, but c’mon, be a little sensitive. Be sweet.”

These quotes are only worth reporting because they arrived on the heels of the Charlie Villanueva controversy- a story which has unsurprisingly fizzled out.  Noah is quickly becoming a top big man in the league and it’s clear the old guard is not going down without a fight.  Noah’s feelings are simply reflective of how Garnett plays.  Some people like to remain friends during the game and exhibit good sportsmanship no matter the circumstance.  Case in point:  Tyrese Rice was Boston College’s star player for four years.  In four years’ worth of battling, scraping, clawing–whenever an opposing player would draw a block or a charge, Rice would reach down and help them to their feet.

Garnett, is just the opposite.  Neither way is right or wrong, just different.  Garnett is all business on the court and will do anything in his power to win a basketball game including throwing elbows, connecting with those elbows (re: Quentin Richardson c.June 2010), tauntingly clapping in an opposing player’s face (re:Jose Calderone), and/or goading players into confrontations (re:  Andrew Bogut c. 1 week ago).

Kevin Garnett also believes in earning respect, which is why if you are a rookie and not on his team, don’t expect him to sign any autographs.  To substantiate this claim, the go-to anecdote is the “F—, your rookies” story from last season (via the Boston Globe):

“Garnett wasn’t exactly welcoming to Pacers rookies A.J. Price and Tyler Hansbrough when he visited Indianapolis this summer to film a Wheaties commercial. As Garnett exited Conseco Fieldhouse, Indiana assistant coach Lester Conner asked him to walk over and meet Price and Hansbrough, who were working out. Garnett wasn’t exactly friendly. According to Conner, Garnett continued to walk out and remarked, ‘[Expletive] your rookies.’’ Said Price, laughing, ‘That pretty much let me know where I was at on the totem pole. I thought I was going to have a chance to talk to him for a second so I can say, “What’s up?” and introduce myself. But I guess he shot that down real quick.’’”

The bottom line is that none of this is new information regarding Kevin Garnett.  As Matt Moore writing for the CBS Sports Blog “NBA Facts and Rumors” points out when discussing Durant’s “Nah man, I don’t talk to KG” quote, KG’s reputation is not exactly unfounded:

“Probably just a coincidence that the two aren’t buddy buddy, considering the age difference and all.   Or it could be that Kevin Garnett is hyper-abrasive like corrosive acid and scares people. Hey, at least KG’s for real, and KD’s not making up stuff about how much Garnett has helped him.”

Garnett is an intense guy.  I don’t condone any of antagonizing things Garnett does but I am also not surprised or offended by them.  I think at the end of the day, Noah is not the type of person that should be evaluating another person’s attractiveness or putting a limit on one’s intensity.