Kevin Garnett Calls Out Kyrie Irving: Gotta Have "Major Cojones" To Play in Boston

Irving signed with the Brooklyn Nets in free agency after two seasons with the Boston Celtics

Rob Lep | Dec 5, 2019

Kevin Garnett Calls Out Kyrie Irving: Gotta Have "Major Cojones" To Play in Boston /

NBA legend Kevin Garnett once screamed "anything is possible!" after winning the 2008 NBA Championship with the Boston Celtics.

Although, clearly, Kyrie Irving spending the rest of his career in Celtics green isn't going to be possible.

Irving left the Celtics after just two seasons, teaming up with superstar Kevin Durant with the Brooklyn Nets. Durant is recovering from a torn Achilles suffered in last year's NBA Finals.

Garnett had some strong words when asked whether he was surprised Irving left Beantown for Brooklyn.

“Boston’s a tough town, dawg," Garnett told Stefan Bondy of the New York Daily News. "You have to have some major cojones to be there. You got to want that. The people want it for you. That’s why Paul (Pierce) is perfect for it. Paul wants the shot every time. Like, ‘You’re 0-for-14.’ And he’s like, ‘I know, but they WANT it.'”

Garnett was in New York City earlier this week to promote his new film with Adam Sandler, "Uncut Gems".

In Irving's first season with the Celtics in 2017-18, he suffered a torn patella in March, ruling him out for the entire postseason. Boston would go on to advance to Game 7 of the NBA Finals before falling to LeBron James and the Cleveland Cavaliers.

Last season, with Irving fully healthy, the expectations were the Celtics could potentially take the next step forward. It never happened.

Boston fell to Giannis Antetokoumnpo and the Milwaukee Bucks in five games of the Eastern Conference Semifinals.

Understandably, as an all-time Celtics legend, Garnett is going to hold any other superstar player like Irving who plays there to an extremely high standard.

Garnett was a 15-time All-Star and won his only NBA championship with the Boston Big 3 in 2007-08 with Paul Pierce and Ray Allen.

Irving and the Celtics just didn't work out the way many expected. The Nets are hoping for a different outcome to their Kyrie experience.

Published Dec 5, 2019

ROB LEP

Rob is a Long Island native and versatile sports broadcaster/ journalist. In addition to his work for Sports Illustrated, Lep also writes for WFAN.com and serves as an on-air contributor for CNN Sports Desk and ESPNU Campus. He's the founder of his own website/ interview show STAT Sports (STATSports1.com). When he's not typing or editing on his computer, you can find him at the local Shake Shack or Chipotle. Follow him on Twitter @RobLep1.