KG Certified

Matt Barnes pulls up to KG CERTIFIED for a wide-open conversation with Kevin Garnett about fatherhood, coaching the next generation and the lessons young players need before reaching the league. Matt opens up about coaching his twins, raising competitive athletes and preparing them for life beyond basketball.Then the duo gets into the new NBA season: Luka Doncic and Austin Reaves leading the Lakers, Anthony Edwards and LaMelo Ball changing Minnesota, the emerging Thunder–Spurs rivalry, and why Bam Adebayo must match Giannis Antetokounmpo’s superstar energy. KG and Matt also examine whether LeBron James can unlock Joel Embiid, why Philadelphia may belong to Tyrese Maxey, what Jayson Tatum must show in Boston and how Fred VanVleet changes Houston. 0:00 Cold open, beach mornings & cold plunges6:39 Matt’s twins, college visits & “Diesel” going viral12:05 Recruiting, injuries & raising tough kids20:11 KG’s daughter, D1 volleyball & jersey retirement news24:49 Saban, NIL money, agents’ cuts & a players union29:05 Streaming, All the Smoke’s expansion & Deep Fry36:52 Nostalgia: posters, 80s/90s style & colognes41:16 NBA: Lakers, Luka & the lob threat48:15 Chirping stories: Barkley, Z-Bo & Darius Miles54:10 Fines for swinging, Thunder vs. Spurs & early-season takes1:00:12 Superstar energy: what Bam needs to be1:03:43 Sixers: Maxey, Embiid & where everyone fits1:08:34 Portland: legit West dark horse?1:14:18 Rockets: KD, Amen Thompson & Fred VanVleet1:18:09 Celtics: Tatum’s team & the new pieces1:23:30 Shoutouts: EuroLeague & the WNBA Finals1:26:47 NFL: Niners, Brock Purdy & the MVP race1:28:53 Sign-off: the “All the Smoke” joint idea Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Zach Randolph and Tony Allen pull up to KG CERTIFIED for an OUT THE MUD crossover packed with real talk about the Knicks, KAT’s contract and whether New York could actually trade its championship big man. KG, Z-Bo and TA also break down LeBron’s move to Philly, Steph Curry leaving money on the table and what Wemby must change after coming up short in the Finals.The crew gets into the brotherhood that powered Memphis’ Grit-and-Grind era, how Z-Bo helped unlock Marc Gasol’s confidence and why today’s players may not be preparing their bodies for an 82-game season. Plus: KG reflects on his Minnesota jersey retirement, the guys pick their breakout players and surprise teams, and KG explains why he has the Timberwolves coming out of the West. 0:00 Cold open and welcome1:00 Shout-outs and a happy birthday to Paul2:36 The craziest offseason moves: Giannis to Miami, LeBron to Philly3:20 Can LeBron play Robin?8:58 Conditioning and mental toughness: Pat Riley’s drills, Michigan State, the Jail Blazers12:30 Teams to watch in the East: Utah, Washington and Toronto14:19 Will AD play 50+ games? The 65-game All-NBA rule17:05 Rookie watch: Boozer and the young guns18:46 Small ball takes over: Wolves, Spurs and Portland’s guard play22:57 Grit n’ Grind: leadership, Memphis and mentoring Marc Gasol26:45 Minnesota Timberwolves: LaMelo, Ant, Jaden McDaniels and Defensive Player of the Year Call31:04 Charlotte without LaMelo: Knueppel, Brandon Miller and working on ones34:15 The Knicks’ money situation: Brunson’s discount, Dolan and the KAT trade talk39:08 Steph’s two-year extension and the Warriors’ window43:49 The loaded West and the Spurs’ guard play44:33 The Spurs’ mindset after the Finals loss and the short summer48:01 What to watch in preseason49:48 The big 21 going up: KG’s jersey retirement in Minnesota53:22 Predictions: who elevates most (Scottie Barnes, the rookies, Cade, Haliburton)56:35 Who shocks people this season: Utah, the Knicks’ repeat chances, OKC’s rookie1:00:20 Closing thoughts Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Kevin Garnett is officially on correspondent duty for the most cracking Summer League he can remember. KG runs through the rookie class he’s been waiting on: Darryn Peterson 25-and-12 statement, Kareem Lopez making history as the first Mexican-born first-round pick, and the Boozer-Lopez frontcourt that could flip Memphis.Then it gets real. KG keeps it a buck on the Jaylen Brown trade (“I wanted JB to retire a Celtic”), why it feels like KD leaving Golden State all over again, why he’s heated for New York losing Mitchell Robinson, where LeBron should actually sign now that the Lakers chapter is closed, and why Ja Morant in Portland might be exactly the fresh air he needs. 0:00 - KG the Summer League Correspondent 1:36 - The deepest draft class since ’96? 3:00 - Darryn Peterson & Yaxel Lendeborg 4:38 - Sacramento’s rookie guard setting the bar 5:13 - Kareem Lopez + Boozer: Memphis’ new twin towers 6:19 - #1 vs #2 pick opens Thursday night 7:10 - The Jaylen Brown trade: “I wanted JB to retire a Celtic” 10:12 - Where LeBron should sign (and where he shouldn’t) 13:14 - Ja Morant gets a fresh start in Portland 14:38 - Washington’s sleeper young core See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The Knicks are champions and New York will never be the same. Kevin Garnett and Paul Pierce break down how Brunson closed it out, why one ring just put him on the Mount Rushmore of New York athletes, and how a city that hasn’t won in over 50 years is about to throw a parade for the ages.Then the guys get into Wemby’s reality check — a rough first Finals, the no-handshake walk-off, and what the Spurs’ young core needs next. Plus the Giannis sweepstakes heating up (Boston? Cleveland? Minnesota?), why guard play is the new currency in the West, and which stars need a big summer to climb back into the conversation. Ticket & Truth also relive their own 2008 title on the anniversary of the night the Celtics got it done. 0:00 – Intro & Pre-Show Chaos2:19 – Knicks Are Champions 5:21 – Brunson vs. Jeter vs. Aaron Judge: King of New York Debate8:00 – Knicks’ Playoff Run Breakdown11:22 – Highest-Rated NBA Finals Since ’9813:26 – Guard Play Is Everything26:27 – Wembanyama’s Development28:33 – Players Who Need a Big Summer32:34 – Giannis Trade Rumors38:11 – What Boston Needs42:27 – Do the Knicks Run It Back?44:49 – The Knicks Parade Debate47:13 – 2008 Championship Flashback49:40 – Parade Talk Continued55:53 – Season Recap & 2026 Draft Sleepers58:41 – The Era Is Shifting59:02 – Where Should LeBron Finish His Career?1:02:17 – Outro See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The road team has won every single game of this Finals, and Game 3 was the wildest one yet. KG and Paul break down Victor Wembanyama’s bounce-back, Stephon Castle going absolutely nuclear on both ends, and a rookie Dylan Harper coming off the bench being a differencemaker. Then they get into the part everybody’s mad about: 24 second-half free throws to 8, Mike Brown losing it, and whether the refs just decided Game 3.Plus: should the Spurs actually put Fox on the table, what New York’s crowd energy (the butters in the front row, the anthems, the whole circus) does to a road team, and what has to change before Game 4. Two Hall of Famers, no filter. 0:00 The road team keeps winning - Game 3 reaction2:30 Wemby’s bounce-back and the call to KG8:00 Stef Castle goes nuclear (41 and 20)14:00 Dylan Harper, the ice-cold rookie19:00 The officiating takeover: 24-8 at the line25:00 Mike Brown’s complaint and the physicality debate31:00 GM hat: should the Spurs trade Fox?37:00 New York’s crowd energy and the butters43:00 Game 4 outlook and predictions See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The Finals are set and New York may never be the same. Kevin Garnett and Paul Pierce break down Victor Wembanyama dragging the Spurs into a Finals showdown with the Knicks, why NYC is about to turn into the most dangerous pressure cooker in sports, and whether Wemby is already the face of the league. Plus OKC’s stunning collapse and Chet’s Game 7 disappearing act, the brutal cap decisions waiting for the Thunder this summer, Sacramento somehow farming NBA champions, and Steph Curry’s massive Li-Ning move that could reshape the sneaker game. 0:00 – Intro0:26 – OKC vs. San Antonio Breakdown: Where Was Chet?5:33 – San Antonio’s Confidence & How They Killed OKC’s Heart6:43 – Wemby Watching SGA Get His MVP Trophy7:21 – OKC’s Offseason: What Do They Do With Cason, Lou Dort & Hartenstein?10:18 – Cason Wallace’s Future & Following the Money vs. Winning11:55 – Is OKC Good Enough to Run It Back?14:00 – PRIZEPICKS15:30 – Wembanyama: Face of the League Debate22:20 – Knicks Energy: Nobody Is Safe in New York Right Now26:36 – The Finals Are Here: Knicks vs. Spurs Preview30:54 – Wemby’s First Time Experiencing New York This Loud34:00 – Can Spurs Stay in the City? KG Says It Ain’t Safe39:56 – Castle, Vassell’s Swagger & Feeding Off Wemby’s Energy41:07 – Spurs’ Identity: They All Coming Through Your Chest43:37 – Brunson vs. SGA: Best Point Guards in the League?45:08 – Game 1 Predictions46:26 – Josh Hart on Wemby: Can He Recover?47:04 – Matchup Breakdowns50:17 – Breaking News: Steph Curry Signs With Li-Ning52:30 – Summer Plans & Wrap See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

KG and Paul break down exactly why the defending champs got cooked in game 1, why Castle plays like a “red nose pit,” and how the Spurs ran out the youngest starting five in NBA playoff history without blinking. Plus, KG drops the never-before-told story of his summer with Wemby. Hakeem, the monks, the mentality download, and what really happened on that football field in California.Over in the East, the Knicks erased a 22-point fourth-quarter deficit and stunned the Cavs in OT to seal a game 1 victory. Brunson took the game over and the fellas put him in the Top 5 Knicks of all time. The crew gets into Kenny Atkinson’s missing timeouts, how Cleveland responds psychologically, and Paul vs KG on whether the Knicks just got lucky or willed the win. They also drop their own legendary comeback stories — the 2008 Finals Game 4 (Boston down 24) and Paul’s 2002 Eastern Conference Final Nets game (down 26).The back half goes Play GM: what Detroit does with Jalen Duren’s $287M supermax, a wild Reaves-for-Duren trade idea, KD’s most realistic landing spots (Houston, Washington, Minnesota?), and what Masai Ujiri’s full Mavs rebuild looks like after Jason Kidd’s exit. 00:00:00 - Intro & Show Opening00:00:39 - Victor Wembanyama’s 40/20 Game 100:02:10 - Breaking Down OKC’s Pick & Roll Defense Against Wemby00:04:38 - Real-Time Coaching & In-Game Adjustments00:06:14 - The Spurs’ Historically Young Starting Five00:07:30 - The New Era of Young Teams in the NBA00:09:02 - How to Build a Championship Contender Today00:09:44 - Assessing Wembanyama’s First Playoff Run00:11:06 - KG’s Summer Meetup with Wembanyama00:15:33 - What KG Took Away from Time with Wemby00:21:03 - Young Players Need to Seek Out Veteran Mentorship00:25:52 - PrizePicks Ad00:26:41 - Knicks Overcome 22-Point Deficit vs. Cavs in Game 100:29:41 - Kenny Atkinson’s Timeout & Adjustment Decisions00:32:39 - Biggest Playoff Comebacks: 2008 Finals & 2002 Nets00:39:44 - Jalen Brunson’s Legacy with the Knicks00:41:27 - Luck vs. Heart: Analytics Debate00:45:11 - Detroit Pistons’ Future & Jalen Duren’s Contract00:52:22 - GM Session: Jalen Duren for Austin Reaves Trade Idea00:55:39 - Where Does Kevin Durant End Up Next?00:57:16 - Mavericks Overhaul: Masai Ujiri, Jason Kidd Fired & Cooper Flagg00:59:48 - Closing & Weekend Vibes See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Lakers got swept by OKC and Paul Pierce is ready to say out loud what nobody else will: it’s time. KG and Paul break down LeBron’s 4th career sweep, the Pelinka–Redick ball moment that looks an awful lot like leverage, and whether Bron is pulling himself out of the GOAT conversation by sticking around.Plus: Wemby’s ejection (and need for an enforcer) & Spurs are up 3-2 on the Wolves. Does Rudy Gobert need to sit? Plus reactions to Washington winning the draft lottery, AJ Dybantsa to Utah rumors, 76ers regrets on the Jared McCain trade, Jaylen Brown chatter, the Celtics’ utility big search, and the craziest offseason in a minute.Rest in Peace to our fallen brothers: Jason Collins & Brandon Clarke See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Kevin Garnett sits down with comedian & actor Alex Thomas for one of the funniest and most real conversations of the season. KG and Inglewood’s break down Wembanyama’s first playoff run and the exact way KG would have guarded him. Why LeBron James at 41 is doing something nobody has ever done, and why OKC is steamrolling everybody in the West with no answers in sight.KG and Alex get into the lost art of NBA trash talk, how Jordan talked over everybody’s head, why Larry Bird was the coldest shit talker of all time, and how the league evolved from the brutal physicality of the 80s to today’s three ball era. They also talk Rajon Rondo’s fit for the Pelicans head coaching job, and why Sam Cassell deserves his shot. 0:00 - Intro1:00 - KG gives Alex Thomas his flowers5:40 - Lakers talk & how KG feels about LeBron at 418:37 - Wembanyama’s first playoff run — KG gives him a grade12:57 - How KG would guard Wembanyama15:10 - The mental game & the art of NBA trash talk16:47 - Jordan talked over everybody’s head18:08 - Larry Bird: the coldest trash talker of all time18:47 - From the brutal 80s to the three-point era22:49 - OKC is steamrolling everyone — does anybody have an answer?26:38 - Rondo interviews for the Pelicans head coaching job28:40 - Why Sam Cassell deserves his shot34:47 - Flowers for Donte DiVincenzo & Minnesota Timberwolves talk35:48 - Pistons vs. Magic breakdown39:43 - Does health decide who wins the playoffs?41:25 - Alex Thomas comedy46:23 - Who Alex would play golf with47:45 - Top 5 comedians of all time50:13 - Michael Jordan, Kobe & the GOAT conversation54:44 - What’s next & the KG + Alex collab See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Kevin Garnett and Paul Pierce break down the top playoff moment so far. The guys dig into Steve Kerr’s rumored exit and what the end of the Warriors dynasty means for the NBA’s changing of the guard — with KG speaking from his own “end of the run” experience. SGA wins another Clutch Player of the Year award and sets his sights on something no one since Michael Jordan has done: back-to-back MVP + Finals MVP. Also, Wemby drops the first unanimous Defensive Player of the Year vote in NBA history.On the court: Sixers steal Game 2 from Boston behind Maxey attacking the head of the snake and rookie VJ Edgecombe dropping 32. The Spurs-Blazers series gets spicy with Wemby in concussion protocol and Danny Avdija going off. Nuggets-Wolves is the grittiest series in the first round. Lakers-Rockets: LeBron’s still LeBron, KD needs a point guard, and is Luke Kennard playing Reaves out of a roster spot? See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices