Courtside Rivalry: Exploring the Feud Between LeBron James and Kevin Garnett

Basketball rivalries often extend beyond the court, and the feud between LeBron James and Kevin Garnett is a prime example of this.

The NBA icons have been involved in a years-long beef that can be traced by to 2013. The drama between the two athletes has garnered attention from fans and reporters alike, who appear to enjoy watching the ballers take jabs at one another.

Here’s what sparked their feud that has been brewing for over a decade.

The origins of this feud can be traced back to their on-court matchups during their respective careers. LeBron James is often hailed as one of the greatest basketball players of all time. He entered the NBA in 2003 with the Cleveland Cavaliers, quickly becoming a dominant force on the court.

On the other hand, Kevin Garnett made his NBA debut in 1995 with the Minnesota Timberwolves, later winning a championship with the Boston Celtics.

In 2008, LeBron and the Cavaliers took on the Boston Celtics crew – which included Kevin, Kendirck Perkins, and Paul Pierce. The game got so heated that LeBron’s mother, Gloria, rushed to court to defend her son.

“Sit your a** down,” LeBron yelled to his mom in frustration. He later apologized to Gloria, explaining that he understood her desire to come to his aid.

Kevin continued to take shots at LeBron throughout the years – including during a 2019 interview. During an appearance on The Bill Simmons Podcast, Garnett suggested that he “broke” LeBron and forced his trade to the Miami Heat.

“We broke LeBron, so get your a** out of here with that,” Kevin claimed. Adding, "The C's, we didn't give a f**k about LeBron. We didn't fear LeBron. And we didn't think he could beat all five of us, and that's how it felt.”

For a brief time, it seemed as if LeBron James and Kevin Garnett’s beef was settled. During a 2021 profile with GQ, Kevin suggested that he was simply picking on LeBron throughout the years – referring to the Lakers star as his “little homie.”

He went on to give LeBron credit for his triumphant basketball career, which includes winning four NBA championships. “No man is perfect in this s--t,” Kevin said. “He’s done a great f--king' job. I just felt like it was only right to give him that respect.”

However, things have since taken a drastic turn. Kevin was joined by his former teammate, Paul Pierce, on an episode of his KG Certified podcast, where he made a shocking claim about LeBron.

While discussing if Bronny James could score a point on LeBron, Kevin alleged that the Ohio native was using steroids to maintain his athleticism.

“You seen his dad? his dad on that Balco,” Kevin said. “He on that new juice.”

The claim came out of nowhere, as the Lakers frontman has never been cited for using performance-enhancing drugs. LeBron has chosen not to respond to the accusations Kevin made on his podcast.