Playing coach Kevin Garnett (like Bill Russell)

[nbacardDOTnet]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vtm8M3h0RhI

[mgent]

True leaders.

[Witch-King]

Kevin Garnett and Bill Russell, practically of the same mold.

As these last two seasons have proved, we definitely need Kevin Garnett in our line-up in order to maximize our post-season chances. Garnett was huge for us in these most recent NBA Finals...

[KungPoweChicken]

Kevin Garnett and Bill Russell, practically of the same mold.

As these last two seasons have proved, we definitely need Kevin Garnett in our line-up in order to maximize our post-season chances. Garnett was huge for us in these most recent NBA Finals...

Russell and Garnett are cut from the same mold in the way that they are so "team first." But Garnett has a distinct difference in the way he approaches his teammates than Russell did. KG isn't afraid to yell, scream, swear, call out his teammates, get up in their face, (we all remember the Big Baby crying incident). Whereas Russell was practically the complete opposite--a guy who mostly used positive motivation to get the "best" out of his men. A gentle giant. They shared a difference in philosophy. I don't think Russell ever yelled at a teammate. I don't know if one can say one philosophy is better than another. But as a former player myself, I can definitely say I would have rather have played with a leader with Russell's temperament rather than KG's.

[Assassin70]

Hmmmm I am trying to picture Kevin as an NBA head coach. 

[Waltah617]

I would love to see KG as a coach.  His intensity is what makes him such a good leader right now, would he still have it as a coach?  He'll definitely have to start off as a defensive coach.

[jdub1660]

I would LOVE to see KG continue his career as a coach, but he's said it before that he doesn't feel that he's coach material. Kind of like how he can't be on the sidelines during an injury, b/c he gets too excited and wants to jump on the court and help.
He would probably be the first exNBA player to turn coach, leave the sidelines to block a shot and dunk on someone.


I still hope to see KG coach after his player career is over. And even after this contract, I would like to see him play a year or 2 more to play as a player/coach.

[LarBrd33]

He definitely is a great leader, but I agree his intensity might not be best suited for being a pro coach... he'd actually probably fit in better coaching College ball... which would be funny considering he never went to College.

[kozlodoev]

Garnett as a head coach? No. The guy can't even sit on the bench when he's not in uniform, because he's a distraction.

[Jeff]

too intense, like Jordan was too competitive to be a coach - just wouldn't work

[moiso]

He would start out great, but before his first year is over his players would dislike him, quit on him, and start talking bad about him to the media.  The whole team would implode.

I could see Ray doing a lot better as a coach.  He's a lot more level headed.

[Fan from VT]

It seems pretty rare, especially nowadays, that it is the perennial all-star types that end up coaching, yet it's almost always the perennial all-stars whose names are thrown out as potential coaches.

All current coaches who played have 12 combined all-star appearances if you count ABA stats. Ray himself has 9 so far. KG 13. Doesn't disqualify them but may indicate that, for whatever reason (either all-stars lack the desire to coach or, as has also been theorized, supremely gifted players lack the ability to connect/teach players for whom skills don't come as easily), either being a coach is unlikely. More likely are players like Scal, Lue, Cassel to name a few with Celtics ties.

Doc Rivers(1), Phil Jackson, Byron Scott, Scott Skiles, Larry Brown(3, ABA), Rick Adelman, Rick Carlisle, Mike Dunleavy, Mike D'antoni, Del Negro, Lionel Hollins (1), George Karl, Nate Mcmillan, Don Nelson, Kurt Rambis, Kiki Vandeweghe (2), Paul Westphal (5), Mike Woodson, Scott Brooks, Avery Johnson.

[Witch-King]

He definitely is a great leader, but I agree his intensity might not be best suited for being a pro coach... he'd actually probably fit in better coaching College ball... which would be funny considering he never went to College.

Lol, even though Garnett never went to college he still has a knack for shooting deep jumpers, even from college-range, either behind the arc at the top of the key or way out on either side of the basket where it is impossible for a shorter player to try and guard his shot.

As far as actually coaching NCAA basketball is concerned I am having a slightly difficult time trying to picture an older Kevin Garnett as the brains/recruiting force behind a successful college basketball program in the United States; however, as Kevin Garnett himself stated after the Celtics won it all in 2008 "Anything is Possible" so who knows, it may not be that far-fetched of an idea that Garnett might do some form of basketball coaching later on in his life.

[Fan from VT]

heresmy quick guess list:


okafor, hinrich, collison, grant hill, maybe raja bell, maybe Bibby, anthony johnson, maybe billups, maybe gomes, battier, maybe duhon, fisher, maybe lindsay hunter.

[clover]

Player/cheerleader, maybe--but not player/coach.