Kevin Garnett Revealed That Russell Westbrook Reminds Him of Himself

Kevin Garnett is one of the most unique players in NBA history, both on and off the court. On the court, Garnett was known for his defense and tenacity that would occasionally border on psychotic. Off the court, he’s one of the few former basketball players to successfully transition to NBA analyst, accidental F-bombs aside.

Needless to say, a Kevin Garnett stamp of approval is something every NBA player should strive for. So when Garnett was asked during his AMA on Reddit on Thursday afternoon which player in the NBA today reminds him the most of himself, the one guy Garnett named was on the receiving end of a major compliment.

“Well when I watch Westbrook’s energy it reminds of the energy I thought I played with until I saw him play. Westbrook’s energy is remarkable,” Garnett said. “When I watch him I’m still in awe. If I was to say that someone, in how they approach the game, I approached the game very similar to how I see Russell approach the game. He doesn’t do a lot handshakes, he’s very focused, he’s to himself, he does his own thing. I was pretty much a little bit like that.”

It’s not difficult to see where Garnett is coming from on this answer. Russell Westbrook plays with a similar kind of hate you just don’t see in the NBA these days. This isn’t the first time Garnett went out of his way to give Westbrook some major props, either. When the NBA All-Star starters were announced last season and Westbrook wasn’t named as one of the starters, Garnett said it “might be the league’s all-time history snub right here, seriously.”