Kevin Garnett is a professional basketball player who stands nearly 7 feet tall. What’s all the fuss about?
Garnett threw down an impressive alley-oop dunk Monday in the third quarter of the Brooklyn Nets’ 107-99 win over the Sacramento Kings. The 38-year-old was asked about the play by reporters after the game, prompting the aging veteran to offer some playful responses.
“Look, look, I can actually dunk, all right?” Garnett said. “If you start in the NBA, you should be able to dunk. I can dunk. Get the hell out of here with that. Give me something else. It was a great pass by (Sergey Karasev).”
“I ain’t dead,” Garnett added.
Garnett is in the midst of his 20th NBA season. He isn’t the player he used to be, and it’s looking more and more like the 15-time All-Star is nearing the end of his illustrious career. Garnett still can’t wrap his head around the level of surprise over him soaring to the basket, though. After all, this is an accomplished athlete whose pride is matched by few in sports.
“Oh stop it,” Garnett said when a late-arriving reporter again asked about Monday’s alley-oop, according to ESPN.com. “Are you serious? Hey listen, I know I am like 150 years in dog years. But I can actually dunk the ball.
“God, do I look that bad out there?”
The shock value when Garnett dunks these days apparently is high in the KG household, too. Garnett has been throwing down for most of his life, yet the combination of his age and his declining skills makes for a few raised eyebrows whenever he rattles the rim.
“This is a low moment for me,” Garnett said Monday. “Everybody is like, ‘Oh, you dunked!’ That’s a bad moment for me. My daughter is like, ‘Daddy, you dunked!’
“I’m like are you serious? I start in the NBA. I am hoping I can dunk. You can’t start in the league if you can’t dunk.”
The Big Ticket is right. This isn’t a 38-year-old Muggsy Bogues we’re talking about.
Thumbnail photo via Brad Penner/USA TODAY Sports Images
