Kendrick Perkins recalls Kevin Garnett going crazy after Celtics doctor broke his players-eat-first rule: "Take the man's plate of food. Throw it right in the trash"

Kevin Garnett was intensity personified. He recognized the legitimate chance he had of getting his first NBA title when he joined the Boston Celtics in 2007, and was adamant about having the team adhere to a specific set of rules to foster unity and discipline. One such rule was that no one would eat before the players.

However, the team’s doctor at that time, Dr. Brian McKeon, made the mistake of doing so, and according to big man Kendrick Perkins, he paid a price.

KG wanted things done a certain way

Garnett joined the Celtics at a time when his sole focus was on winning and claiming the Larry O’Brien trophy. Instead of stewing on the crushing postseason losses he suffered during his time in Minnesota, he used the lessons from these to fuel his relentless pursuit of a championship. This meant creating a team dynamic that leaned on togetherness, which extended all the way to the team’s dining schedule.

“KG had this rule that nobody eats before players,” Perkins revealed on the “Straight Game Podcast.”

Unfortunately, the team’s doctor didn’t think the rule applied to him.

“Well, we had this doc named Dr. McKeon,” he continued. “Dr. McKeon was a great doctor, but he knew he was great. This what makes it funny — like he knew he was great. So he young, about 34-35, you know. He the doc that you go to him and he’ll show you like, ‘Hey look, I’m ranked top hundred in the country’ type s—t. Right, like he that. Slick, swag.”

Perkins narrated that as soon as the physician arrived and saw the spread, he made a beeline for it and began loading his plate up. Unbeknownst to him, Garnett saw the whole thing and confronted him about it.

Threw the plate away

Like a dark cloud that cast a shadow over the doctor, Garnett approached with steam coming out of his ears.

“So Ticket walks up behind him. He walking up behind him, he got his robe on, right? Ticket got his robe on, towel, he about to go to the shower. He towering over this n—r right?” the retired big man recounted. “He’s like: ‘Hey man, what the f—k you doing, B?'”

“So Doc turns around, he gotta play the fool. He like, ‘Kev, what are you talking about?’ Like that type of s—t. Like, ‘B—h, you know the rules. Give me this MFng plate!’ Boom. Threw this s—t right in the trash. Like a grown-a-s man, dog. Took the man’s plate of food, threw it right in the trash,” Perkins added.

Garnett, though, wasn’t done yet as he reminded the doctor and everyone on the team, asserting, “MF, you don’t eat before no players. Walking your a-s in here, man. F—k up outta here, B!”

The commotion left everyone stunned to speak but it was a clear example of how Garnett approached that pivotal season. As the leader of that team, no one was above the rules and he never hesitated to call out anyone who didn’t follow these, not even someone who took care of their bodies day in and out.

This story was originally reported by Basketball Network on Sep 4, 2025, where it first appeared in the Off The Court section. Add Basketball Network as a Preferred Source by clicking here.

Kendrick Perkins recalls Kevin Garnett going crazy after Celtics doctor broke his players-eat-first rule: “Take the man’s plate of food. Throw it right in the trash”

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