“I knew I did something when I saw Kevin McHale come down from the stands to speak to me” – Kevin Garnett on how he impressed NBA coaches and execs in his pre-draft workout
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The weeks and days leading up to the NBA Draft are some of the most hectic for young hoopers looking to take the next step of their careers. A player's calendar brims with numerous media interviews and pre-draft workouts, enough to leave them feeling frazzled and overwhelmed.
Hall of Fame big man Kevin Garnett knows all these too well, as he went through the same schedule before. One of the original prep-to-pros stars, KG was a highly-touted prospect from Farragut Career Academy. Despite his lofty high school numbers, team officials still needed to see firsthand what the youngster could do, so he was asked to do several workouts in front of luminaries such as Pat Riley and Kevin McHale.
Not long after, the 6-foot-11 forward made believers out of everyone who attended that workout.
A 90-minute workout by himself
The thought of doing a full-on workout by yourself in front of some of the greatest minds in NBA history can be jarring for some. For KG, he admitted feeling nervous when he recognized the personalities who were there to watch him play. However, nervousness quickly turned into rage when he heard what Riles said about being there to watch a high school kid.
“I'm watching Pat Riley, I'm watching all these coaches I know, and Pat Riley comes in like, ‘What the f**k are we doing here? The f**k am I doing here?’ So when he started shooting, I was like, I went from like a kid to like…” the 15-time All-Star said on “All The Smoke.”
From that point onward, KG became hyper-focused on showcasing his talent and proving himself to the legends in attendance. This drive and determination helped him earn the respect of those in the room, including Riles, who eventually left with a newfound admiration for the young star.
“Pat starts clapping after he stood up, ‘Okay, I see you,’” KG narrated. “I don't know what I did, but he was clapping, so I was like, that's got to be something.”
McHale went all the way down to the court
One legend who immediately liked Garnett was Boston Celtics icon Kevin McHale, who was then the general manager of the Minnesota Timberwolves. When the workout began, KG relayed that the man with the million post moves was seated in the bleachers. However, as he continued acing every drill he was being put through, McHale walked down and joined the fiery forward on the floor.
“I knew I had done something when I saw Kevin McHale bring his ass all the way from the top, with that stanking ass walk. ‘Hey, brother. Hey brother, let me show you something, brother,’” KG shared.
McHale left that workout convinced he had found a diamond in the rough. On June 28, 1995, he selected KG as the fifth overall pick, kickstarting a legendary career that would see Garnett become one of the greatest power forwards in NBA history.