First-time All-Star Bam Adebayo of the Miami Heat wants to work with former Boston Celtic big man Kevin Garnett, but not for the reasons most might think.
Garnett, a Hall of Fame nominee who won a ring in Boston in 2008, is known as one of the most dynamic and intense frontcourt players of the modern era. Even so, Adebayo isn’t angling for a tutorial on defense from the twelve-time All-Defensive player.
Instead, he wants to pick the brain of the Big Ticket for suggestions on how to be more professional, having taken note on how Garnett’s professionalism helped position the 15-time All-Star for success.
“I want to work out with Kevin Garnett,” said Adebayo of the former Celtics champion via the Miami Sun Sentinel’s Ira Winderman. “That man was a bucket-getter.”
Adebayo said his has tried to model his game after Kevin Garnett, Rasheed Wallace, Tim Duncan.
— Ira Winderman (@IraHeatBeat) December 12, 2019
“But more so just how he approached the game,” Adebayo added. “So more of a mental day, and just want to know how to be a professional, day in and day out.”
The Miami big man is correct in that while most fans remember KG for his on-court intensity, Garnett was also known among his peers for his indefatigable work ethic and consummate professionalism.
Even though he, former head coach Doc Rivers and the rest of the Banner 17 crew are long gone from Boston, their influence — especially Garnett’s — lingers in the institution itself, and the standard of professionalism established by Garnett can still be seen today.
“He changed the culture of this franchise,” said Rivers of Garnett’s impact via The Athletic’s Clevis Murphy.
Rivers on KG: “He changes the culture of this franchise, he really did. We needed a guy like that to come to the franchise. He did that and it’s still here. It hasn’t left since. That was all Garnett.”
— Clevis Murray (@ClevisMurray) February 14, 2020
“He really did. We needed a guy like that to come to the franchise, and he did that and it’s still here. It hasn’t left since. That was all Garnett,” he added.
To be frank, if anything, it’s odd more young players haven’t reached out to Garnett for the same reasons as Adebayo.
While the South Carolinian’s intensity has always been his calling card, it’s been his attitude towards the game and business that’s at least as responsible for such a storied career.
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