Last year, Jabari Smith Jr. confidently proclaimed that he’d beat 60-year-old Michael Jordan in a one-on-one battle. He got called out by fans on social media for his statement and was advised not to speak ill of the Bulls icon. However, he didn’t heed their suggestion. He doubled down on his previous take and even claimed he could beat Jordan in his prime, prompting a response from Kevin Garnett.
During a recent interview with TheScore’s Brad Parker, the 21-year-old Rockets star was asked about his infamous comment about beating Jordan one-on-one. The interviewer conceded that the six-time NBA champions would likely struggle to defeat the young forward at his current age.
Parker then asked Smith how he’d fare against Jordan in a head-to-head game when the five-time MVP was in his prime. The Rockets forward bullishly claimed,
“I’ll probably beat him 11 to 10. I am not going to tell you that he could beat me. I am beating him either way.”
Garnett came across the clip on Instagram and took exception to the young star’s proclamation. He advised him to ask his father, former NBA star Jabari Smith, about Jordan and to exercise humility. He wrote,
“Tell ’em go ask his pops about prime MJ… Different smoke youngin. Real shhhh.Respect [and] love your game. KEEP WORKING.”
Garnett did not comment because he’s an old head trying to preserve the legacy of an icon. He gave Smith that advice because he was once a young forward who tried to get under Jordan’s skin and regretted it.
When Garnett talked trash to Jordan
Garnett, a renowned trash talker, cared little about an opponent’s skill or reputation. He would talk smack to their faces and back himself to outplay them on the court. However, during his rookie season, he learned why most players feared Jordan and avoided instigating the superstar.
In a game between the Timberwolves and the Bulls in February 1996, guard Isaiah Rider fouled Jordan and the two got into a verbal altercation on the court. Garnett backed his teammate and talked smack to Jordan, even telling Rider,
“Keep going at his a**, he can’t guard you. Keep serving him. He can’t guard you.”
Both Timberwolves stars would rue their mistake. In an interview, Rider revealed that the Bulls superstar heard Garnett’s comments, prompting him to tell the five-time MVP that the rookie was hotheaded and didn’t mean what he said.
But Jordan wasn’t keen on hearing any justifications. He opened the fourth quarter with eight points in 90 seconds and ended the game with 33 points, leading the Bulls to a 21-point win. The Timberwolves duo were exhausted from trying and failing to contain Jordan.
Garnett admitted that getting thrashed by the Bulls superstar once was enough for him to learn a valuable lesson. He never talked trash to or about Jordan ever again.
