'He Not Talking to You': Paul Pierce Reveals Kevin Garnett’s Intense Pre-Game Routine That Left Him in a Full Sweat

The word “beloved” might even be an understatement when it comes to how highly regarded Kevin Garnett is within the NBA community. An icon for both the Minnesota Timberwolves and Boston Celtics, Garnett played with unmatched fury. His pre-game intensity bordered on myth, and no one understood that better than his teammates.

Paul Pierce, one of Garnett’s most legendary partners on the court, formed a deep bond with him during their Boston stint, a run that resulted in a championship win in 2008. In a recent appearance on Podcast P with Paul George, Pierce reflected on the time spent with Garnett and shared some vivid memories of what it was like playing alongside him.

Of course, the first thing Pierce spoke about was his intensity, something the 15-time All-Star was very well known for. But another point he emphasized was KG’s ability to stay locked in. It was truly special.

“That’s just him,” Pierce said, laughing. “He’s so intense, man. You don’t know what he’s going to do.” Even before tip-off, Garnett looked like he’d already started playing. “Before the game, if you look at him before the game, before the jump ball, he’s going to be in a full sweat. That man is going to be full lather and sweat,” he added. 

Pierce further revealed how others in the locker room knew that disturbing Garnett was a big no-no. “Before the game, you couldn’t really say nothing. He not talking to you. He’s so locked in, you can’t even tell him anything. He’ll get his tape. He got his peanut butter and jelly sandwich. He’s just in a zone,” the 2008 Finals MVP said. “You could be right here and say, ‘Hey Tick’… he’s going to just act like he didn’t feel nothing. He just locked in.”

That intense bubble Garnett created didn’t have room for jokes, especially not from rookies. “You don’t know Tick, and you’re a young fella, you’re gonna learn that quick. Just leave him alone until the game starts,” Pierce warned. Then came a classic Garnett moment involving Celtics rookie J.R. Giddens, who made a costly mistake. “We were playing pickup in September, and we had a rookie come,” Pierce began.

“KG didn’t come to the first day of pickup. He got there on the third day of the week, and it was early September. So the rookie didn’t have any shoes, so out of all the people that wore 15s, he grabbed KG’s… That was a mistake.”

The room burst out laughing before Pierce even finished the story. “So now we’re on the court, KG looked down like, ‘Yo what the [f***] you doing on my shoes man?'” Pierce said. “I think he probably ripped him off his feet. From that point on, it was all bad for the rookie. The whole year.”  Garnett’s intensity didn’t end when the whistle blew; it began long before tipoff, even if it meant lashing out at a teammate for taking his shoes.