Kevin Garnett heaped praise on Isaiah Thomas during the debut episode of his new TV show, and the diminutive Celtics point guard says his goal is to become the “5-9 Kevin Garnett.”
Thomas is averaging 26.2 points and 6.8 assists through six games, and shooting a career-best 49.5 percent from the floor.
Boston is off to a disappointing 3-3 start this season.
Per ESPN:
“Isaiah’s got so much heart and he plays so big. Very gritty, very tough,” Garnett said during a segment with Rasheed Wallace in which the former NBA stars debated whether they would rather have Thomas or Cleveland’s Kyrie Irving taking a final shot. “It’s a point guard league. The point guard matchup is very difficult. … I love Isaiah’s heart. Your point guard, a lot of times the identity of your team starts with your point guard. Isaiah, I love his heart and how he plays.”
Apprised of Garnett’s comments after Boston’s practice on Monday, Thomas was genuinely appreciative of the praise.
“I’m the 5-9 Kevin Garnett. That’s who I want to be,” said Thomas. “[Garnett’s praise] means a lot. For a guy I looked up to, who I knew I would be nothing like [in size], but just the way he prepared himself, the way he didn’t back down from anybody, and how he was so locked in. It was amazing to see that up close. For him to say that about me, that says a lot.”
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