Paul Pierce and Kevin Garnett are two Hall of Fame players who won an NBA Championship together with the Boston Celtics. To this day, they’re still close friends and colleagues on Showtime Basketball’s KG Certified.
Recently on KG Certified, the two discussed the big contracts being given out around the NBA in today’s era due to the continually-rising salary cap. While players are now able to be more financially prosperous, Garnett and Pierce claim that these lucrative contracts are impacting the competition of the game.
"[Kevin Garnett] said 'If you ever want to see how real a motherf*cker is, give him a boatload of money'… I didn't get it at first… A lot of guys that sign these big deals, the hunger ain't there no more."
—Paul Pierce
(via @shobasketball)pic.twitter.com/vSFkp9ZNHZ
— ClutchPoints (@ClutchPoints) August 16, 2023
"In basketball, I’m looking at the contracts they’re getting with their shoe deals… I don’t see the competitive spirit there…" said Pierce. He then went on to reference Garnett and a statement he previously made: if you ever want to see how real a m*********** is give them a boatload of money."
Garnett and Pierce are implying that a player’s true colors begin to show when they are financially secure. Players work tirelessly their entire lives to get to the point of reaching the NBA and earning a long-term contract. So much so to the point that once they do actually get there, they forget what helped them get to that stage.
The dedication, effort, and commitment it took to get there can all disappear in an instant once a player ultimately achieves their goal of getting paid in the NBA. "… But I’m a brand also, so there’s a business side of me… I don’t have to go and show I’m trying to be the greatest. I just got to do enough," said Pierce.
These two NBA legends made their fair share of money during their careers, so they are able to speak from experience.
