Boston Celtics forward Kevin Garnett is a high energy, intense person on a daily basis, so using that same energy to learn his rookie teammates names is not in the plans for the old vet.
Garnett’s take on the situation is that he will learn your name when it’s worth his time.
CSNNE.com is reporting that Garnett doesn’t address his teammates by their names, but by names he’s chosen for them.
I present the rookie players and the names he calls them.
Fab Melo: “The Youngin. [He calls] everybody Youngin. Oh, and Melo. He calls me by my last name . . . He never calls me Fab. I don’t really care about that stuff. In Brazil, we don’t care. We call first name, last name, it doesn’t really matter. I don’t mind.”
Dionte Christmas: “He called me Temple (Christmas’ alma mater, Temple University). It was cool, it was alright. I respect it.”
Jared Sullinger: “Youngin.”
Jamar Smith: “He calls me something different every day – Young Fella, Youngin, ‘A.’ [He called me ‘A’ because] he thinks so fast, he’s always talking. He calls everybody all kind of names. He hasn’t called me by my first name yet. He knows my name. When we’re talking, when we’re in the locker room, he’ll be like, ‘Smith!’ But for the most part on the court, Youngin and Young Fella.”
Kris Joseph: “Rook, Young Fella, Youngin, three names. I’m assuming he knows my name, but those are the three names he does call me.”
I wonder what he would call me.