Kevin Garnett misdirects wishes for Nikola Jokic's historic triple double to 6'10 Serbian big man

Kevin Garnett is noted as one of the best big men in NBA history, particularly for his defensive enforcer and team leader role when the Boston Celtics won the 2008 championship. Since he retired, Garnett has championed players around the league during good and bad times. He made a mistake on Saturday, though, congratulating the wrong player on a historic game.

Three-time MVP Nikola Jokic anchored the Denver Nuggets's stellar performance against the Phoenix Suns with a historic triple-double - 31 points, 21 rebounds, and 22 assists - in the Nuggets's 149-141 overtime win.

Kevin Garnett congratulated "The Joker" on making history on Instagram but sent kind words to Nikola Jovic, not Jokic.

Nikola Jovic, also from Serbia, is a 6-foot-10 forward in his third season with the Miami Heat, contributing 10.7 points per night. When Garnett mistakenly compared Jovic to Wilt Chamberlain when he mixed up the two Serbians, NBA fans and players had a good laugh.

Kevin Garnett is a fan of Nikola Jokic. He applauded the big man - who played a pivotal role in the Denver Nuggets' title-winning season in 2023 - as one of the top players in the league. Despite being stylistically different from the former Celtic, Garnett has acknowledged Jokic's ability to lead his team without being the loudest on the court to his own during the former's NBA career.

---

Kevin Garnett might have a chance to congratulate the right Serbian when the MVP is announced

Throughout the season, Kevin Garnett has appeared on different shows and podcasts, including KG Certified, which he hosts alongside former teammate Paul Pierce. Garnett has been a big advocate for Jokic, giving him the flowers he believes the Nuggets center deserves for his superior level of play. By the end of the year, Jokic might add another MVP trophy to his resume.

Jokic and Oklahoma City Thunder guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander have been going back and forth for this year's MVP honors race after Jokic won the award over Gilgeous-Alexander last year. Both players have led their teams into the top end of the Western Conference this year and appear poised to go on deep playoff runs when the postseason begins.

Kevin Garnett has offered his two cents on the MVP race, saying that despite winning the award three of the last four years, Jokic can't be left out of the conversation.

"The Joker man, you can't ever leave Joker out," said Garnett about the center's MVP case.

Regardless of who wins the MVP, Garnett will continue to serve his role as a supporter of players around the league as they compete for a title. NBA fans and players hope he gives flowers to the right person when the time comes.