Former NBA player Mario Kasun called Kevin Garnett "the biggest racist against white players" originally appeared on Basketball Network .
They say you should never meet your idols, and for Croatian giant Mario Kasun , that rang truer than ever the first time he shared the floor with Kevin Garnett .
We all know the stories about KG. He is the relentless competitor, the trash talker, the emotional leader who turned every game into a personal battle. But for Kasun, the 7'1" center who grew up idolizing Garnett , his first encounter with the former MVP revealed a very different side of the Big Ticket.
Kasun shared his side of the story on the "Jao Mile Podcast," and it's one that completely shifted his view of the player he once looked up to.
Kasun was drafted by the Los Angeles Clippers as the 12th pick of the second round in 2002 but arrived in the league two years later, suiting up for the Orlando Magic . By NBA standards, he wasn't anything special. Sure, big bodies in the paint were always welcome, but he was nothing more than a serviceable big man who spent just a couple of years in the league before continuing his career overseas.
But what happened during those short NBA years, especially his interaction with Garnett, stuck with him. For better or worse, that memory has lived rent-free in Kasun's head ever since.
"Big Ticket. He was my idol when I grew up," Kasun admitted .
The Croatian center recalled showing up before a game wearing Garnett's retro Adidas model, excited to finally meet the player he had admired for years. But instead of getting a warm reception or even a simple acknowledgment, Kasun got the coldest of showers.
"I came before the game and asked him, 'KG, can you sign up my shoes?' I went to the game wearing his retro model, I liked to play in retro shoes. And he told me, 'Kid, go away, take off those shoes, you don't have my permit to wear my shoes,'" the retired big man added, still surprised by Garnett's actions.
"I got that Adidas and I really liked them. White shoes, with thick soles. And I politely asked him to sign my shoe, but he just turned around and went away. He was the biggest racist against white players in the NBA. He talked s**t all the time," he added.
Mario wasn't some star chasing special treatment; he was just a "normal" NBA player hoping for a moment of connection with one of the greatest forwards of all time. Sure, he was still an opponent on the court and could've waited for a better time to ask for a signature, but the point about Garnett being flat-out unfriendly still stands. And when Kasun says Garnett was "the biggest racist against white players in the NBA," that's not something you hear every day.
Those are heavy words to throw at a player with Garnett's resume, a league MVP, champion, and one of the most respected competitors in NBA history. Whether KG even remembers the moment is doubtful. For him, it was probably just another pregame exchange with an opponent who also happens to be a fan.
Until we hear Garnett's side of the story, if we ever do, it'll remain one of those NBA anecdotes that live in the gray area. One thing is for sure, though: Mario won't be asking for Kevin's signature anytime soon.
This story was originally reported by Basketball Network on Aug 4, 2025, where it first appeared.
