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Kevin Garnett doubts his generation could play in today’s NBA

Justin Quinn
·2 min read

You might be as skeptical about the claim as we are, but former Boston Celtics champion big man Kevin Garnett doesn’t think he would be able to play in today’s NBA — or anyone from his generation of players, for that matter.

Garnett, a key part of the Celtics’ last title in 2008, has watched the game’s evolution from the grinding defenses of the sport over two decades ago after making the leap straight from high school to the pros in 1995 to a more fluid and offense-oriented version of the sport that started to take hold in the latter years of his career. Interviewed earlier this week in the New York Times, KG shared his doubts about his fit in the contemporary game.

“I don’t think guys from 20 years ago could play this game,” he began.

“Twenty years ago, guys used their hands to control players. Now you can’t use your hands. That makes defense damn near impossible. Can you imagine not hand-checking Michael Jordan? Naw. The fact that you can’t touch players gives the offensive player so much flexibility.”

Given that Garnett could shoot, pass and put the ball on the floor quite well, we’re not so sure he wouldn’t be able to play today’s game, at least on the offensive end of the court.

Though he might not enjoy the modern, hands-off style of defense given he was a master of using his strength and intensity to outhustle opponents trying to score on him.

And with the strict enforcement of hand-checking — one of his favorite tools — it’s understandable.

Be sure to check out the rest of the interview; it’s a refreshing take on today’s game from a legend that doesn’t descend into the too-common attacks on changes between generations.

This post originally appeared on Celtics Wire. Follow us on Facebook!

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