This Would Have Been Unfair!

Over the Turkey Day break, I’m playing 2K18 and I just so happen to be on the T-Wolves for my MyPlayer, and Kevin Garnett (shout out to the Big Ticket) is on the game commentating. As he speaks, he gets to talking about what he wishes he’d could have done or accomplished in his career. He talks about his favorite players, whom he wishes he played with, and how he became the first big with a nice handle. Garnett, retiring after 21 NBA seasons. Kobe, retiring after 20 NBA seasons. Wouldn’t that have been special to see that? No disrespect to the 2008 Championship Celtics squad or the Timberwolves (whom drafted KG and whom KG retired with). In the same breath, no disrespect to the 00-02 or 2009 and 2010 Championship Lakers squad’s. To fathom seeing Mamba and the Big Ticket on the same team would have been totally unfair. Don’t believe me? Read on!

When both KG and KB hit the league, they both struck with lightening on their own terms; they left a great legacy. Both coming directly from high school. Bryant, having to share time with a ton of Lakers guards (one of the deepest). This happen to be a blessing in disguise for a young Kobe, as he could compete with his fellow teammates for time (developing his skills and enhancing his competitive nature) as well as for titles early in his career. Garnett, on the other hand, didn’t have the same journey as Bean and he dealt with defeat time and time throughout his career. He didn't have a team dynamic centered around championship pedigree so he had to learn.

I try to only be real when I speak. When we look at Bean and Big Ticket, what brings us to like them (that's on you for hating on either one of them) is their competitive nature and biases towards giving up to defeat. We have heard countless of stories about Bean being in the gym for later hours of the day, same for Big Ticket. We know how Kobe is when it comes to his teammates and them not playing to the Champions' likening. We all know how Kevin Garnett is. The thing that differs is the amount of time reporters put into making Kobe look like a jerk, when he only cares about winning by any means. What they wont say is Kevin would call out teammates just a fast; not directly to the media though. When KG got to Boston, that immediately became his team, sorry Truth. His aura was all around that team. That was the perfect team to beat a Kobe led Lakers. Why? Due to Garnett's nature matching Kobe's. Kobe and Kevin are tough cookies. They talk. They back it up. They don't like if you are not giving your all, when they give their blood, sweat and tears. They will address it with you. Only the strong will understand Kobe and Kevin. That is why Paul and Pau appreciated them when they were able to witness the greats at work.

"I loved every minute I competed against you. A true warrior" Kobe Bryant speaking on KG

You got a defensive genius in Garnett. An offensive genius in Kobe. While Garnett is pretty gifted offensively, Bryant is pretty gifted defensively. What weakness would a KB and KG duo possess? Outside of putting together a team full of men who are ready to play with these two passionate athletes, the two of them wouldn't allowed each other to lose that edge or skill set. The thing is the supporting cast because they will definitely speak up if and when you are lacking, so you have to be a special person to understand their mental. When Kobe said what he said about Shaq, we all thought he was tripping. How could you call out the Diesel? However, he was looking at Shaq like, 'if you can only run up and down the court, with my abilities we will still win rings. Stay in shape big fella, we got rings to win. I got us even when you not at your apex.' While they partied, he was in the gym getting better. That is the mind of the likening of Bruce Lee.

That pick and roll would have been unstoppable! Who are you going to cheat off? Who would you double?

Post play would have been unfair. The two of them in Jackson's' triangle. Stop it! They are both agile and lean. I don't really care whose system they played in. It would have been a special show nightly.

Practice sessions, harder than a real game. They would have elevated one another. KG probably would have developed a potent 3-pointer. Kobe wouldn't have to be much of an aggressor/anchor. KG would have been the bad guy. He would have allowed Kobe to be the good guy.

"Playing against Kobe, is like playing a grizzly bear, if anything, if there’s fear in you he’s gonna expose it,” Garnett said. “I’ve actually enjoyed being in a competition with Kob, Kob is gonna bring the best out of you and when you play against the best, you gotta be at your best and anytime I’m pushed like that I have nothing but respect for you."

Look at those faces. You cannot tell me they wouldn't enjoyed playing side by side to one another.

To The Big Ticket and The Black Mamba, you all would have destroyed many organizations together!!! You all were one of the same. This was a tragedy in the NBA that didn't happen. This probably would have gotten vetoed anyways. Only if you all would have come in this generation, where we have dynamic players reshaping the NBA structure. I don't see anything wrong with it by the way. As time changes, thing's pertinent to time will also change. As a fan, all i can do now is play an old version of 2K or NBA Live to get a visual of how this would have looked. Those past Wolves and Lakers battles will only bring back joy. Those Lakers vs the NBA and Wolves vs the NBA will only have me reminiscing on what could have been. I have no doubt in my mind that you all could have won more than 6 rings! You all have 6 between the two of you. How wouldn't you all at least get 6 together?

We missed out on a good thing!!!