Joakim Noah on going up against KG - "It changed my career"

Joakim Noah experience against Kevin Garnett changed his career forever.

© David Butler II-USA TODAY Sports

Chicago Bulls legend Joakim Noah was one of the most intense players the NBA had ever seen. Already a skilled and versatile player coming out of the University of Florida, Noah became an even bigger beast for the Bulls after one particular interaction with another hyper-competitive star—Kevin Garnett.

Not what Noah expected

Growing up, the 6-foot-11 stud idolized and patterned his game after the one-time MVP. During his rookie year, Noah dared to approach KG in the heat of battle and tell him how much he admired Garnett growing up. The response that KG gave was definitely not what Noah expected.

"I just wanted to say something to my idol, and he just looked over like, 'Yo, who the f*** you talking to? Who the f*** do you think you're talking to?' When he said that I was like oh s***, I shouldn't have said that," said Noah.

Like a shark sensing blood in the water, KG continued to pour it on—both with his trademark trash talk and physicality. Noah, though, wasn't having any of it and battled right back, leading to an intense rivalry that went on for years.

"I kind of fell back, knowing I shouldn't have said that, and then when I didn't say anything, I guess he thought I was a p*ssy because he kept getting louder and from that moment on, I swear I was going at him. Every single time we play, we're going at it."

Career-changing moment

From that moment on, Noah learned a valuable lesson that would help elevate his career to new heights.

"It changed my career," Noah said. "That moment changed my career because from that moment, on I learned that there is no love in battle, and this is competition. At the end of the day, I'm trying to rip your f****** head off, you're trying to rip my head off, let's go. I'm trying to win just as bad as you're trying to win. I'm not trying to make no friends. That moment right there changed everything."