Ex-NBA Star Kevin Garnett Discusses 'Uncut Gems' Role

Some might be wondering: “What is Kevin Garnett doing in an Adam Sandler movie?” The ex-Minnesota Timberwolves center, who retired from the NBA in 2016, relives his past playing a younger fictitious version of himself in “Uncut Gems."

Garnett himself discussed the nature of his role and working with Sandler in an interview with Esquire. With only a small TV acting credit and his NBA history prior to the movie, Garnett seemingly steals the show in Josh and Benny Safdie’s “Uncut Gems.”

“Anytime you put the jersey back on for commercials, or whatever it is you’re doing, you kind of go back there,” said Garnett on donning his Boston Celtics uniform once more for the movie. “It was interesting that everybody, as we were sitting there, playing these roles and being these characters, all got caught up in a game that…we all knew the results of.”

“Uncut Gems” tells the story of Howard Ratner (Sandler), a New York jeweler with a penchant for big stakes and adrenaline highs. Garnett appears as a gem buyer, who becomes increasingly enchanted by a black opal. Alongside Sandler and Garnett, the “Uncut Gems” cast also includes Julia Fox, The Weeknd, LaKeith Stanfield, and Idina Menzel.

The story itself unfolds with a focus on Howie’s love affair with chasing big scores. The acquisition of the opal and meeting Garnett send Howie down a spiraling path that causes him to bet big without ever thinking of the consequences.

“I really connected with it. I just connected with how [the Safdies] wanted it to look on camera, and giving me direction to deliver it the way I did,” Garnett said about his character's opal obsession. “I’ve done it with two-dollar bills, I’ve done it with rubber bands, I’ve done it with pieces of jewelry, the Bible, believe it or not. So I was able to connect with what the whole thing stood for.”

Thus far, “Uncut Gems” reviews have been relatively positive, hailed as a “divisive but undeniably rowdy character study” by Variety. It has also won Best Actor (Sandler) and Best Screenplay by the National Board of Review, as well as securing nominations in a number of other awards and categories.