NBA legend Kevin Garnett has questioned how today’s players prepare for the physical demands of an NBA season, suggesting that too much emphasis is placed on shooting workouts rather than endurance and conditioning.

The former Boston Celtics star believes that players should focus more on preparing their bodies to withstand an entire regular season and a lengthy playoff run, particularly amid ongoing concerns about injuries across the league.

“These young men are training to come in to make shots. No one’s training for a duration and to go through a 82-game season…”

Garnett explained that his own preparation involved extensive physical training combined with mental exercises designed to help him maintain his performance throughout the season.

The 2004 NBA MVP recalled starting his workouts early in the morning, spending considerable time running before moving on to basketball-specific training.

“I would get up at four-thirty and run for a whole 90 minutes by myself and visualizing. Sit down, do a meditation, who I’m k*lling, how I’m k*lling them, and then go in the gym and then work on that…”

Garnett argued that this type of preparation helped players develop the physical endurance and mental discipline necessary to handle a demanding NBA schedule.

He also pointed out that players must prepare for more than the 82-game regular season, with preseason contests and potentially several additional weeks of playoff basketball adding to the workload.

“I don’t know anybody in our league doing that right now, and that’s what you build up to go 82 games plus 10 games in the preseason, another 20 games in the playoffs. That’s mental toughness.”

The Hall of Fame forward suggested that he does not see the same approach to preparation among current players, although his comments reflect his personal observations rather than a comprehensive assessment of NBA training programs.

“That’s what I notice to be. And I don’t see that happening.”