Celtics' Bradley: Garnett 'cussed me out' for missing a layup

When he entered the league during the 2010-11 season, Boston Celtics guard Avery Bradley was a minnow among sharks, playing alongside legends of the game like sharpshooter Ray Allen and Superman himself, Shaquille O'Neal.

Former league Most Valuable Player Kevin Garnett was entering his fourth year in Celtic green at the time, and was easily aggravated by any and all mistakes first-year players made. Bradley wanted no part of The Big Ticket's wrath, and was afraid to run plays on offense during practices for fear of screwing up in front of his veteran teammates.

During one practice, Rajon Rondo forced Bradley to handle the ball for the second unit, and one slight blunder sent Garnett into a fury.

"I got in there and missed a layup, and KG cussed me out," Bradley said on Friday, according to Masslive.com's Tom Westerholm. "Every single day he saw me, he would cuss me out."

Related: Pierce recounts tale of KG denying food from team doctor

Bradley only played 31 games that season, suiting up for a little under a month after being sent down to the D-League to compete for the Maine Red Claws. Upon his return to Beantown, former head coach Doc Rivers actually stopped practice early after Bradley dunked on both O'Neal and Kendrick Perkins.

It was that level of aggressiveness that eventually won over Garnett.

"KG and Rondo were like, 'You're ready for the league now,'" Bradley said. "The things KG did for me, it was a lot. Those are my brothers. KG doesn't talk to many people. KG's not very nice."

Bradley, now 25, has developed a thicker skin over the years, recently saying he fears no other guard because he's that confident in his defense. He also hopes to be the first backcourt player since Gary Payton 20 years ago to earn Defensive Player of the Year honors.