Way Back: Anything is Possible (2008)

The Boston crowd was antsy.

In Game 6 of the 2008 NBA Finals, the only thing in question was whether they would beat the Lakers by 40 points or slighty fewer.. The game was well in hand, and everybody in the arena knew they were about to witness a new champion being crowned. The backups were in, some starters had their warmups on, and Doc Rivers had already received a Gatorade bath.

The final buzzer went off and both organizations and media members stormed the court searching for one man. Kevin Garnett was easy to find. He rushed to center court to kiss the leprechaun and huddled to chant with his team one last time. He looked weak as the moment started to hit him, but backup forward, Leon Powe, held him up shouting “I got you, I got you!”. He tried for a moment to put his head in his hands, but the festivities wouldn’t allow it. He embraced his opponent Kobe Bryant and exchanged a few words before slipping on the obligatory championship hat.

Amidst the chaos, sideline reporter, Michele Tafoya, snuck in close to begin interviewing KG. With confetti falling and emotions overflowing, KG gave one of the most genuine responses I’ve ever seen:

You could see the weight being lifted from his shoulders. One of the games fiercest competitors was brought to tears when he had to reflect on his journey. He barely answered the questions at first, but he made sure to shout out every place that he had a connection with so they could share in Boston’s victory. His childhood homes of Chicago and South Carolina were on the list, but so was Minnesota. Garnett played 12 seasons for the Minnesota Timberwolves. While he was a perennial all-star, member of the all-defense teams, and a league MVP, critics still blamed him for the franchises shortcomings. It was never a major free agent destination and the draconian punishment the league issued for the Joe Smith fiasco in 2000 ruined any chance the team had at building through the draft for years.

KG never complained publicly and didn’t request a trade privately. He just balled with whomever the front office put around him every night, and did so with an intensity that everyone could admire. He’s one of the last NBA stars we’ll probably ever see stay in one place that long, with both sides treating the game like a business more each year. Some say he was loyal to a fault and that may be true. But, it was that loyalty that earned him the no-trade clause which gave him a say-so in his eventual trade to Boston to join Paul Pierce and Ray Allen.

When he regained his composure towards the end of that interview, It almost felt like the triumphant outro to a rap song. He faced the camera to address his critics. He asked, “what you gonna say now?” then answered with “I’m certified” before walking off to celebrate.