Latest news with #Legends
Yahoo
an hour ago
- Sport
- Yahoo
Kevin Garnett left Michael Jordan off his all-time starting five: "He is the god, and we copied him and s—t, but I got Kob' at my two"
Kevin Garnett left Michael Jordan off his all-time starting five: "He is the god, and we copied him and s—t, but I got Kob' at my two" originally appeared on Basketball Network. There are few things NBA legends enjoy more than naming their all-time starting fives — and Kevin Garnett did just that in November 2021, even putting together a full 12-man roster. Advertisement Five years into retirement at the time, the Hall of Famer didn't just throw out names. He made his picks with one key factor in mind. The final list stirred debate — and included at least one headline-worthy snub, along with a few other eyebrow-raisers. KG's lineup blueprint Garnett has always been a student of the game — a passion that hasn't faded since he retired in 2016. After moving into NBA media, the now 49-year-old built a reputation for doing what many former players won't: giving real credit to the younger generation. KG has never hesitated to show love to the all-time greats he once battled. That balance made his all-time starting five all the more intriguing. Advertisement In today's NBA, positions are fluid. Point guards now stand well over six feet, with players like Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Luka Doncic, Cade Cunningham, and Josh Giddey blurring the line between ball-handler and wing. Meanwhile, big men aren't just rim protectors anymore — they're playmakers, shooters and all-around impact players. Some, like Kristaps Porzingis and Victor Wembanyama, are even labeled "unicorns" for their unique skill sets. Positionless defense has also become a hallmark of today's game. Just look at the reigning champion Oklahoma City Thunder, where perimeter and interior defense flow together seamlessly. Players like Alex Caruso, Jalen Williams, and Kenrich Williams — all listed as guard-forwards — routinely took on big men in key defensive stretches during OKC's title run. Garnett leaned into that same philosophy when picking his lineup. The formula was simple for the 2004 Most Valuable Player and 2008 Defensive Player of the Year: build a tall, switch-everything unit that can guard anyone, anywhere. Advertisement "I'm going for a taller team because we're going to switch everything," he said on the "Million Dollaz Worth of Game" podcast. Related: "We gave them a champion, and we didn't get Zion?" - Arenas isn't pleased with the Wizards' giving away Jordan Poole Switch everything Once The Big Ticket had outlined his approach, he started with the point guard spot. All-time roster debates are usually heated, but this position often feels more clear-cut. Some favor '90s floor generals like Isiah Thomas or John Stockton, legends of the Detroit Pistons and Utah Jazz, respectively. Others reach all the way back to Oscar Robertson, the original triple-double king. Advertisement Yet most choices usually come down to two names: Stephen Curry or Magic Johnson. Garnett went with the latter. The pick fit his vision perfectly. KG wanted size everywhere, and Magic was the original big guard prototype. At 6'9", the Los Angeles Lakers legend saw angles others couldn't — something The Big Ticket highlighted when explaining the choice. Next, Garnett locked in Kevin Durant, a two-time champion with the Golden State Warriors and one of the most gifted scorers ever. Officially 6'11", though some say closer to seven feet, KD is another ideal piece for KG's switch-everything scheme. Moving to the frontcourt, the Boston Celtics legend took the center spot himself, paired with the late 7'2" Wilt Chamberlain at power forward. Unconventional, yes — but as Garnett explained, positions on paper didn't matter. Advertisement "Threes, fours, and fives switching everything. That's how I'm coming," he said. Dogs only The NBA legend faced more tough calls: who would start at shooting guard, and how would the bench shape up? Regarding the first choice, Garnett initially leaned toward Michael Jordan. Allen Iverson was also in the conversation. "I gotta go MJ," KG said — then quickly flipped it: "Matter of fact, I'm putting Kob' at my two." Naturally, people in the studio were stunned. Co-host Gillie Da Kid even asked if Garnett was serious or wanted to take it back. But he only barked back with the same intensity he had shown referees during his 20-plus years in the league, repeating his statement. Advertisement However, following that pushback, Garnett softened slightly, making clear it wasn't a slight on Jordan. "I know you're gonna say MJ, and you're supposed to — shoutout to MJ 'cause he's the god, and we all copied him and s—t — but I got Kob' at my two," he said, later adding, "I respect Mike. Love Mike Jordan, he's my dog. I ain't trying to diss him." Though Kobbe Bryant claimed the starting shooting guard spot, Jordan wasn't left out — he earned the 12th and final spot on the bench. For a player as fiercely competitive as His Airness, that almost sounded comical. "My backup point guard [is] gonna be Pete Maravich," Garnett continued. "Then I'm gonna go A.I. (Allen Iverson) coming off the bench because he's buckets all day. Big Dog (Glenn Robinson) at the three, Sheed (Rasheed Wallace) at four, and then I'm going Shaq [O'Neal] at five coming off the bench. And then I need two more to come off? I'm gonna get V.C. (Vince Carter) 'cause he was a bucket, and Jordan. That's buckets for buckets." Advertisement NBA fans know Garnett's reputation for being a bit wild — and he'd agree. That boldness certainly showed when he named Jordan last on the roster and left out other legends, stressing that his list reflects fierce will. "Think about the list, bro. It's crazy. I ain't put Bron (LeBron James) on my list. I ain't put [Larry] Bird on my list. I left a lot of cats off. I'm talking dogs — everybody I named is coming after you," concluded the one-time NBA champion. Related: "You're like, 'How do I even respond to that?'" - Kevin Garnett thinks Hakeem Olajuwon was an underappreciated trash talker This story was originally reported by Basketball Network on Jun 27, 2025, where it first appeared.
Perth Now
6 hours ago
- Entertainment
- Perth Now
Sir Rod Stewart considered cancelling Glastonbury performance
Sir Rod Stewart came close to cancelling his Glastonbury performance. The 80-year-old star is set to play the Legends slot on the Pyramid Stage at Glastonbury, but Rod admits that he came perilously close to cancelling his performance after being struck down with illness. The Maggie May hitmaker - who is married to model Penny Lancaster - told The Sun newspaper: "I've had to cancel five shows because of this b****** flu. "This time last week I was thinking of cancelling. It was a close shave. I have had Influenza A. It's been so terrible. "But my dear wife Penny and some good medical people got me through it. There was a lot of technical massaging from some very good people I know, which sounds filthy doesn't it? You've got no idea. "But my dear wife, she said to me 'You are going to do this. It's mind over matter.' She nursed me back to health. She really is a great girl." Rod is now looking forward to his Glastonbury performance after overcoming his illness. He said: "I am really looking forward to it now. I feel honoured and privileged, considering four days ago I wasn't going to make it." Rod has teased details of his performance, including his musical guests. The singer - who is one of the best-selling artists of all time - quipped: "Mick Hucknall and I are going to come up and sing She Was Only A Pilot's Daughter But She Kept Her Cockpit Clean. "Only joking. We are going to sing If You Don't Know Me By Now. And then Lulu is coming on. "She is going to sing Hot Legs and then Ronnie Wood is coming on with me and Lulu to do Stay With Me." Rod also revealed that their rehearsals have been going really well. The chart-topping star - who was knighted for services to music and charity back in 2016 - shared: "All three of my guests are in excellent form and are playing well. We had the best rehearsal yesterday."
The Irish Sun
8 hours ago
- Entertainment
- The Irish Sun
Sir Rod Stewart says voters should ‘give Nigel Farage a chance'
SIR Rod Stewart says voters should 'give Nigel Farage a chance'. The 80-year-old rocker slammed Prime Minister Keir Starmer's policies on fishing rights in Scotland as he revealed he thinks the Reform leader is "coming across well". Advertisement 2 Rod Stewart revealed he thinks Nigel Farage is "coming across well" Credit: Getty 2 It comes as new polls suggest Reform could win the next election Credit: Alamy New polls suggest Reform is on track to win the next election - with more than a third of voters saying they will support the right-wing party . And Rod 'The Mod' is no different. Ahead of his Glastonbury set this Sunday, the Maggie May singer insisted that despite his 'extreme wealth', he is not out of touch. Sir Rod was asked in an interview with future heading. Advertisement READ MORE ON THE SCOTTISH SUN He responded: "It's hard for me because I'm extremely wealthy, and I deserve to be, so a lot of it doesn't really touch me. But that doesn't mean I'm out of touch. "For instance, I've read about Starmer cutting off the fishing in Scotland and giving it back to the EU. That hasn't made him popular. We're fed up with the Tories. We've got to give Farage a chance. He's coming across well." "What options have we got? I know some of his family , I know his brother, and I quite like him. "But Starmer's all about getting us out of Brexit and I don't know how he's going to do that. Still, the country will survive. It could be worse. We could be in the Gaza Strip." Advertisement Most read in Celebrity It comes after the music legend hit out at Farage last June after he claimed that the West provoked Russia's invasion of Ukraine. Stewart previously said he was Sir Rod Stewart drops F-bomb as he's joined onstage by kids & Jennifer Lopez after winning Lifetime Achievement award We previously told how Sir Rod lifted the lid on exactly how much he is getting paid to play at Glastonbury this year - as well as how much money he'll lose. He is set to return to Worthy Farm for the first time in decades, having last performed on the Pyramid Stage 23 years ago. Advertisement He's performing as this year's Legends slot act, joining a long list of iconic acts who've taken on the prestigious role.
Scottish Sun
11 hours ago
- Entertainment
- Scottish Sun
Sir Rod Stewart says voters should ‘give Nigel Farage a chance'
The Maggie May singer insisted that despite his 'extreme wealth', he is not out of touch. Click to share on X/Twitter (Opens in new window) Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) SIR Rod Stewart says voters should 'give Nigel Farage a chance'. The 80-year-old rocker slammed Prime Minister Keir Starmer's policies on fishing rights in Scotland as he revealed he thinks the Reform leader is "coming across well". Sign up for the Entertainment newsletter Sign up 2 Rod Stewart revealed he thinks Nigel Farage is "coming across well" Credit: Getty 2 It comes as new polls suggest Reform could win the next election Credit: Alamy New polls suggest Reform is on track to win the next election - with more than a third of voters saying they will support the right-wing party. And Rod 'The Mod' is no different. Ahead of his Glastonbury set this Sunday, the Maggie May singer insisted that despite his 'extreme wealth', he is not out of touch. Sir Rod was asked in an interview with The Times where he sees Britain's political future heading. He responded: "It's hard for me because I'm extremely wealthy, and I deserve to be, so a lot of it doesn't really touch me. But that doesn't mean I'm out of touch. "For instance, I've read about Starmer cutting off the fishing in Scotland and giving it back to the EU. That hasn't made him popular. We're fed up with the Tories. We've got to give Farage a chance. He's coming across well." "What options have we got? I know some of his family, I know his brother, and I quite like him. "But Starmer's all about getting us out of Brexit and I don't know how he's going to do that. Still, the country will survive. It could be worse. We could be in the Gaza Strip." It comes after the music legend hit out at Farage last June after he claimed that the West provoked Russia's invasion of Ukraine. Stewart previously said he was "outraged and dumbfounded" after Farage argued that the EU and NATO had given Putin a "reason" to tell his people "they're coming for us again'. Sir Rod Stewart drops F-bomb as he's joined onstage by kids & Jennifer Lopez after winning Lifetime Achievement award We previously told how Sir Rod lifted the lid on exactly how much he is getting paid to play at Glastonbury this year - as well as how much money he'll lose. He is set to return to Worthy Farm for the first time in decades, having last performed on the Pyramid Stage 23 years ago. He's performing as this year's Legends slot act, joining a long list of iconic acts who've taken on the prestigious role.
Daily Mirror
12 hours ago
- Entertainment
- Daily Mirror
Secrets of Rod Stewart's Glasto set after the rocker's 'military style' build-up
Sir Rod Stewart is set for another epic Glastonbury Festival performance with his 90-minute set at Worthy Farm on Sunday said to be setting the rocker back £300,000 As backstage requests go, it's usually all about the booze, drugs and girls for most rockers. But not so for Sir Rod Stewart. Taking to the Pyramid stage on Sunday afternoon at Glastonbury for the coveted Legends slot, the star is adopting a slightly less rock 'n roll approach. In fact, the 80-year-old is taking his trusted personal trainer with him to Worthy Farm to ensure he is in tip-top shape for the show. With an estimated 100,000 watching him at Worthy Farm - and millions more on the TV - the rocker knows the stakes are high. Especially so after suffering a bad bout of flu which saw him cancel a string of shows in Las Vegas. Insiders say Rod has thrown himself into the task with vigour, with one saying: 'He is fully-fit and raring to go. His trainer works wonders so it was a no-brainer to have them at the festival.' In fact, the star has gone to military-like lengths to ensure the show goes without a hitch. Already super-fit from swimming lengths in his pool four times a week, the star has been on a period of vocal rest to ensure his raspy voice is firing on all cylinders. Says our mole: 'It's been quite hard as Rod is a chatterbox, but he knows he needs to preserve what's his biggest weapon…his voice.' Rehearsals have been taking part this week with his whole band at a secret location, and insiders say Rod's back to his best. The set-list is a closely-guarded secret but Rod has vowed to deliver a hits-packed 90minute set including Maggie May, Sailing and Downtrain Train. Three special guests have been pencilled in with the pick of the bunch being Rolling Stones guitarist and old pal Ronnie Wood for an incredible Faces reunion. Sir Rod - who admits he can't remember playing the festival last in 2002 - may even pay an emotional tribute to Ukraine during the set. The star - who has housed refugees from the country in the UK - may sing his 1991 anti-war song Rhythm of My Heart, accompanied by an image of an Ukrainian flag. A source said: 'Rod is putting the finishing touches to the set which is a little shorter than his usual Vegas shows, so it remains to be seen what makes the cut.' Wife Penny has been a constant watching the band go through the motions at rehearsals. In fact, the whole Stewart family are fully getting into the festival spirit. While Rod, Penny and the band are staying at a £1000-a-night hotel in Bath, three of his children including 19-year-old Alastair and Ruby are camping. The teenager - who had to buy his own tickets as Glastonbury don't offer any freebies - seems to take after his dad when it comes to enjoying a knees-up He was spotted partying until 5am on Friday morning with friends in the hedonistic Shangri-La area of the festival site. A source said: 'Rod is quite happy to let the kids get on with it and is delighted they are getting stuck into the festival.' But rather than having to go back to a tent afterwards, his children are staying at the ultra-lavish Pop-Up Hotel, which is just outside the festival gates. With a restaurant, full-size swimming pool, and helipad, one its 10–person suites costs just shy of £30,000 for the duration of the festival. It's not known if Sir Rod is picking up the tab, but the whole cost of his Legends performance is already setting him back a staggering £300,000. This includes flying over from the US by private jet, as well as all his band too, who are coming over in premium economy. Then there is the cost of transporting the set and all the equipment. It's little wonder the £120,000 he is earning is not touching the sides. Says a source: 'He is running at a big loss but it's such a prestigious opportunity, he doesn't mind.' Unlike Neil Young who has banned the BBC from live-streaming his Saturday headline slot, Rod's set will be live-streamed by the BBC and is a flagship plank of their wall-to-wall coverage. But Neil and Rod will at least have one thing in common other than musical pedigree……model railways. Rod often takes sections of his model railway set on tour with him to pass the time, often booking extra hotel rooms where he installs them on a large table. While he is keeping the trains at home this time, he can at least chat to Saturday night headliner Neil about the subject. A source said: 'Rod will hope that Neil will stick around to the Sunday. They are both train obsessed.' Instead of trains backstage, Rod will have a static bike to warm up his limbs ahead of the performance, as well as a massage. Rod's rider usually entails a large bottle of rum and four bottles of Coca-cola, and he will always enjoy a quick drink before any show. A source said: 'Rod is getting a bit more booze in this time around but the plan, at the moment, is to take the party back to the hotel afterwards. But you never know, Rod may stick around on site but the chances are he will want to get off.' Penny is expected to be side of stage for the performance, which is also expected to feature Rod wearing a series of flamboyant outfits. The insider added: 'She is Rod's biggest fan at the best of times and is just bursting with pride that he will be one of Glastonbury's biggest draws.' Do ya think I'm sexy? Penny certainly does…
