Some claim that the <a href="https://bolavip.com/en/nba/sixers-star-says-the-celtics-are-the-team-to-beat-in-the-east-20220325-0007.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Boston Celtics</a> kicked off the <a href="https://bolavip.com/en/nba/nba-big-three-every-team-best-trio-since-2000-20200804-0002.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">‘Big 3’ era</a> in the late 2000s. They put together a tough, dominant trio in <a href="https://bolavip.com/en/nba/charles-barkley-paul-pierce-rip-james-harden-say-he-cant-win-big-games-20220314-0008.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Paul Pierce,</a> Kevin Garnett, and Ray Allen; with an up-and-coming Rajon Rondo making his way into the league as well.
Together, the Celtics became one of the powerhouses in the Eastern Conference, making it to the NBA Finals twice and winning a ring. However, their honeymoon was over as soon as Allen joined the Miami Heat, then their biggest rival.
For years, the Celtics’ championship team held grudges towards Allen and didn’t hesitate to let it be known. Finally, they put their beef aside and <a href="https://bolavip.com/en/nba/ray-allen-says-stephen-curry-is-not-the-greatest-shooter-of-all-time-20210210-0008.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Allen</a> was in attendance at Garnett’s jersey retirement ceremony.
<h2>Ray Allen Skipped Jury Duty To Attend Kevin Garnett’s Jersey Retirement Ceremony</h2>
As nice as it was for NBA fans to watch these three Hall of Famers bury the hatchet, it didn’t come without trouble for Allen, who skipped jury duty to attend the ceremony and is now facing a bit of a legal turmoil:
(Transcript via the Miami Herald)
“Allen was among 14 permanent and alternate jurors originally picked in early March for the federal trial of Jorge Aponte Figueroa, who was the only defendant of those charged who had not struck a plea deal with the U.S. Attorney’s Office. The trial was initially scheduled for March 14. But after he was selected as a juror, Allen asked the judge for a favor to start the trial the following day because he had to be a presenter at the jersey retirement ceremony of former Celtics teammate Kevin Garnett on March 13.
To accommodate Allen’s trip to Boston, Cooke set her trial for March 15. But Allen didn’t show up. Her courtroom deputy, Ivan Marchena, tried to reach him and left messages with Allen. He didn’t respond. So the trial started without him, and the judge issued an order to ‘show cause’why Allen should not be sanctioned for failing to appear as a selected juror.”
 
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Allen is expected to be heavily fined for failing to show up to court, although it’s not like he can’t afford it anyway. At least, that shows how much he truly wanted to be a part of Garnett’s special day.

Ray Allen facing legal turmoil after attending Kevin Garnett's jersey retirement ceremony

Ray Allen facing legal turmoil after attending Kevin Garnett's jersey retirement ceremony - Bolavip US

It’s not a secret that <a href="https://bolavip.com/en/los-angeles-lakers-t101482" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Los Angeles Lakers</a> and <a href="https://bolavip.com/en/boston-celtics-t101837" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Boston Celtics</a> have never gotten along. The Celtics dominated the early stages of the <a href="https://bolavip.com/en/nba-t19117" target="_blank" rel="noopener">NBA</a> and the Lakers got back at them during the Showtime era.
It’s been a while since these teams faced off in the NBA Finals. The last two times it happened was thanks to the Celtic’s Big 3 of Kevin Garnett, Paul Pierce, and Ray Allen. But, apparently, things could’ve been entirely different.
In a recent interview, Garnett revealed how he wanted to team up with Kobe Bryant in Los Angeles when he left the <a href="https://bolavip.com/en/minnesota-timberwolves-t100374" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Minnesota Timberwolves</a>. Notably, Bryant didn’t pick up the phone so he joined their lifelong rivals instead.
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<h2>Kevin Garnett Wanted To Play With Kobe When He Joined The Celtics</h2>
(Transcript via Michael Pina of GQ)
“Garnett had reservations about going to play in Boston, even after speaking to Celtics president of basketball operations Danny Ainge. That’s partly because before he made a final decision, he wanted to talk with Kobe. The only problem: Bryant was touring China for Nike and, from Garnett’s point of view, couldn’t be bothered to discuss a future as teammates. 
“I needed to have a conversation with him. I couldn’t talk to Phil [Jackson, then coach of the Lakers] or none of that. I’m not a phone guy, you know what I’m saying? But it’s [Kobe], you know what I’m saying? It was just kind of water under the bridge. At least it felt like that.”
The two never connected. Later that summer, Garnett ran into Antoine Walker at an event celebrating Gary Payton’s renewal of his marriage vows; the former Celtic helped convince him that Boston was where he could win. (It also helped that Ainge traded for Ray Allen on draft night.)
Garnett then launches into a story about the first time he saw Bryant after becoming a Celtic, quickly staging a one-man show in which he played both parts at two opposite volumes and temperaments.
“‘YO, MAN, YOU WAS TRYING TO GET IN CONTACT WITH ME?’ ‘Man, get the fuck outta here.’ ‘NAH, NAH, I’M SERIOUS, MAN. I GOT THIS SHIT LATE, MAN. DAMN MAN.’ ‘It’s all good.’ ‘NAH, IT AIN’T GOOD, YOU IN THAT WRONG COLOR, MAN. WHAT THE FUCK, MAN. HOW YOU GONNA GO TO BOSTON OF ALL PLACES.’ ‘Man, nah, you gotta chill.’”
Garnett then sits back. “It was all good. I always loved playing against [Kobe]. But yeah, it probably would have been a different level playing with him.”
A Kobe-Garnett pairing would’ve dominated the league nearly at will. But ironically, beating the Celtics in the NBA Finals ended up being one of the legacy-defining moments for Kobe, so it all worked out pretty well for him in the end.

Kevin Garnett reveals he almost teamed up with Kobe Bryant

Kevin Garnett reveals he almost teamed up with Kobe Bryant - Bolavip US

Even though most old school coaches are reluctant to play their rookies heavy minutes, it’s more normal to see young players take the <a href="https://us.bolavip.com/nba-t19117" target="_blank" rel="noopener">NBA</a> by storm nowadays, and some scouts would be cautious to take a 20 or 21-year old in the <a href="https://us.bolavip.com/nba/nba-draft-the-5-worst-first-overall-picks-in-history-20201105-0008.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">NBA Draft.</a>
Most players take the one-and-done road before making it to the pros. That means that they have to spend one year in college before being eligible to enter the NBA Draft, but it wasn’t always like that.
As a matter of fact, the league allowed high school players to enter the Draft before the collective bargaining agreement of 2005, which is a rule that some teams, players, and analysts would like to change again.
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Rashard Lewis, Amar’e Stoudemire, Jermaine O’Neal, Tyson Chandler, and Al Jefferson are just some of the few great players who skipped college and made it right to the pros. In the following paragraphs, we’ll let you know about the top 5 players who were drafted straight out of high school:
<h2>5. Tracy McGrady</h2>
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<figure class="image"> <figure class="image"><img loading="lazy" alt="Tracy McGrady" data-height="413" data-width="740" data-size="w:740,h:413" hspace="5" vspace="5" title="Tracy McGrady" src="https://ds-images.bolavip.com/news/image?src=https://images.bolavip.com/webp/en/full/BUS_20201108_BUS_165862_rookie_tracy_mcgrady.jpg_22993414_ab371f0f.webp&amp;width=740&amp;height=413" width="740" height="413"></figure><figcaption> Vince Carter is T-Mac’s cousin. (Getty) </figcaption></figure>
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High School:Mount Zion Christian Academy (Durham, NC) Team: Toronto Raptors Pick: 9 Year: 1997 Career Stats: 19.6 PPG, 5.6 RPG, 4.4 APG Accolades: 7x All-NBA, 7xAll-Star, Most Improved Player, 2x Scoring Champion, Hall of Famer
Tracy McGrady was the most unstoppable scorer in the league during his prime, even ahead of Allen Iverson or Kobe Bryant. He was an offensive juggernaut and an athletic freak whose size gave him a huge advantage over his defender.

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McGrady’s skills were unmatched at the time. He had the body of a small forward, the moves of a shooting guard, and the strength of a big. Sadly, injuries took a major toll on his career and he was never truly a part of a winning team.
<h2>4. Dwight Howard</h2>
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<figure class="image"> <figure class="image"><img loading="lazy" alt="Dwight Howard rookie" data-height="413" data-width="740" data-size="w:740,h:413" hspace="5" vspace="5" title="Dwight Howard rookie" src="https://ds-images.bolavip.com/news/image?src=https://images.bolavip.com/webp/en/full/BUS_20201108_BUS_165862_rookie_dwight_howard.jpg_22993414_79cf9740.webp&amp;width=740&amp;height=413" width="740" height="413"></figure><figcaption> Howard entered the league at 19 years old. (Getty) </figcaption></figure>
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High School:Southwest Atlanta Christian Academy (Atlanta, GA) Team: Orlando Magic Pick: 1 Year: 2004 Career Stats: 16.7 PPG, 12.3 RPG, 1.4 APG, 1.9 BPG Accolades: 8x All-NBA, 8x All-Star, All-Rookie, 5x All-Defensive, 5x Rebounding Champion, 2x Block Champion, 3x Defensive Player of the Year, NBA Champion
People seem to forget just how much of an unstoppableforce prime Dwight Howard was. He carried the Orlando Magic to the NBA Finals at the ripe age of 24, and was the most dominant big man in the world during a 5-year stretch.

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Howard was supposed to be the second coming of Shaquille O’Neal and while he couldn’t live up to that standard – no one could – he made sure to leave a mark of his own. He’s a lock to make it to the Hall of Fame.
<h2>3. Kevin Garnett</h2>
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<figure class="image"> <figure class="image"><img loading="lazy" alt="Rookie Kevin Garnett" data-height="413" data-width="740" data-size="w:740,h:413" hspace="5" vspace="5" title="Rookie Kevin Garnett" src="https://ds-images.bolavip.com/news/image?src=https://images.bolavip.com/webp/en/full/BUS_20201108_BUS_165862_rookie_kevin_garnett.jpg_22993414_a24684ae.webp&amp;width=740&amp;height=413" width="740" height="413"></figure><figcaption> Garnett spent 21 seasons in the NBA. (Getty) </figcaption></figure>
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High School:Farragut Career Academy (Chicago, IL) Team: Minnesota Timberwolves Pick: 5 Year: 1995 Career Stats: 17.8 PPG, 10.0 RPG, 3.7 APG, 1.3 SPG, 1.4 BPG Accolades: 9x All-NBA, 15x All-Star, All-Rookie, 12x All-Defensive, 4x Rebounding Champion, All-Star MVP, MVP, Defensive Player of the Year, NBA Champion, Hall of Famer
There haven’t been many competitors as fierce as Kevin Garnett. Even as a child, he never backed down from a challenge and didn’t hesitate to get into his rivals’ face, and he single-handedly turned the Minnesota Timberwolves into a contending team.

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Garnett is one of the few players to ever win the Defensive Player of the Year and Most Valuable Player awards. He was a dominant force on both ends of the floor and his physicality and never-ending drive made him the toughest matchup you could ask for.
<h2>2. LeBron James</h2>
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<figure class="image"> <figure class="image"><img loading="lazy" alt="Rookie LeBron James" data-height="413" data-width="740" data-size="w:740,h:413" hspace="5" vspace="5" title="Rookie LeBron James" src="https://ds-images.bolavip.com/news/image?src=https://images.bolavip.com/webp/en/full/BUS_20201108_BUS_165862_rookie_lebron_james.jpg_22993414_43b5b204.webp&amp;width=740&amp;height=413" width="740" height="413"></figure><figcaption> LeBron has won a ring with 3 different teams. (Getty) </figcaption></figure>
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High School: St. Vincent-St Mary (Akron, OH) Team: Cleveland Cavaliers Pick: 1 Year: 2003 Career Stats: 27.1 PPG, 7.4 RPG, 7.4 APG, 1.6 SPG Accolades: 16x All-NBA, 16x All-Star, All-Rookie, 6x All-Defensive, Rookie of the Year, Scoring Champion, Assists Champion, 3x All-Star MVP, 4x MVP, 4x Finals MVP, 4x NBA Champion
<a href="https://us.bolavip.com/lebron-james-t92259" target="_blank" rel="noopener">LeBron James </a>was the most hyped and expected teenager in NBA history. His high school games had more fans in attendance than some major sports events, and needless to say, he definitely surpassed every single one of the expectations.

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James led three franchises to NBA Championships and has dominated the league at will for the past 17 years. He’s got a strong chance to retire as the Association’s all-time leading scorer and is for sure a top-3 player in the history of the game.
<h2>1. Kobe Bryant</h2>
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<figure class="image"> <figure class="image"><img loading="lazy" alt="Rookie Kobe Bryant" data-height="413" data-width="740" data-size="w:740,h:413" hspace="5" vspace="5" title="Rookie Kobe Bryant" src="https://ds-images.bolavip.com/news/image?src=https://images.bolavip.com/webp/en/full/BUS_20201108_BUS_165862_rookie_kobe_bryant.jpg_22993414_329cb30c.webp&amp;width=740&amp;height=413" width="740" height="413"></figure><figcaption> The Charlotte Hornets drafted Kobe and traded him to the Lakers. (Getty) </figcaption></figure>
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High School: Lower Merion (Philadelphia, PA) Team: Charlotte Hornets (Then traded to the Los Angeles Lakers) Pick: 13 Year: 1996 Career Stats: 25.0 PPG, 5.2 RPG, 4.7 APG, 1.4 SPG Accolades: 15x All-NBA, 18x All-Star, All-Rookie, 12x All-Defensive, 2x Scoring Champion, 4x All-Star MVP, MVP, 2x Finals MVP, 5x NBA Champion, Hall of Famer
While this could go either way, we leaned towards Kobe Bryant on the first spot because of his five rings. Moreover, it goes without saying that Bryant’s legacy as one of the greatest competitors and offensive forces in NBA history is still making an impact through the younger players in the league.

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Bryant was the walking testament of hard work. You could never outhustle or outsmart him. His pride and determination to be the best version of himself made him a legend and the greatest player to ever made the league straight out of high school.

Kevin Garnett - Page 2

Ray Allen facing legal turmoil after attending Kevin Garnett's jersey retirement ceremony

Kevin Garnett reveals he almost teamed up with Kobe Bryant

NBA Draft: Top 5 players drafted straight out of high school