Kevin Garnett's Teammates Break Down Big Ticket's Amazing Pregame Routine

Kevin Garnett is known as a man who doesn't hide his emotion when preparing for or playing in an NBA game.

Whether it's giving a classic "KG face" or letting everyone know what kind of bar fight he's ready to get into, the best part of Garnett's shtick has to be his pregame routine.

Sweaty as can be and looking like he's already played a half of basketball before the action gets underway, Garnett's routine has been imitated often.

Now, we finally have insight into what's going on with KG. Andrew Keh of the New York Times has the details from Garnett's former and current teammates:

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"Kevin is a creature of habit, and he's done the same thing his entire career, from Day 1," said Sam Mitchell.

Mitchell, who played 13 N.B.A. seasons, said every player had a “go switch,” a method to become mentally engaged before tipoff. Garnett just happens to have a particularly overt and complicated one.

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Now it gets interesting:

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Eyes down, he leans his forehead into the padding and begins adjusting his uniform, tucking his shirt into his shorts, stretching the elastic waistband, tugging on the drawstring. All the time, he is mumbling under his breath.

“It’s just total focus,” said Paul Pierce, who played six seasons with Garnett on the Boston Celtics before the two were traded to the Nets this summer. “He’s there getting his mind right to play.”

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So what does it take for KG to get going?

“Some players like to be jovial before the game to release pressure,” Mitchell said. “Kevin likes to build the pressure.”

The one thing we definitely know about Garnett is that he's intense in everything he does, and that passion is part of what makes him an all-time classic.

There will never be another player quite like Garnett once he does ultimately ride off into the sunset and call it a career, but those who have watched him play are lucky to do so.