Having Threatened the Life of Hall of Famer, 71YO’s Peace Offering Sees No End to Former NBA All-Star’s Livid State of Affairs

Coaches and players getting into a touchline scuffle is not a rare sight in the NBA. Miami Heat duo Erik Spoelstra and Jimmy Butler are the most recent examples as the two got into a heated argument during a game against the Warriors. While the two have since reconciled, clashes like these can sometimes derail a team’s locker room. Coaches losing their players’ trust can lead to long-lasting repercussions as they struggle to find common ground. One former NBA coach recently expressed his sadness as his relationship with an ex-player continues to deteriorate.

Hall of Famer George Karl was a legendary coach, but he had his fair share of troubles with his players. Famous for his long-standing feud with DeMarcus Cousins, another former player of Karl has recently run rampant. Livid, the former All-Star continues to spew distaste for his ex-boss, even revealing a time when he threatened to kill the 71-year-old.

71-year-old George Karl looks to bury the hatchet with a peace offering

Kenyon Martin was a hard and vocal star during his time in the NBA. He was drafted as the first overall pick by the New Jersey Nets in 2000. In his second year, the Michigan native led his team to the NBA Finals but was eventually swept by the Los Angeles Lakers. Following an All-Star appearance in 2004, the star was eventually traded to the Denver Nuggets, where he met George Karl.

Both men arrived in Denver during the same season and were often involved in touchline spats from the get-go. During a recent appearance on Gilbert Arenas’ podcast, the former Nuggets man recalled one such incident from 15 years ago.

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Revealing that he once saw Karl “fall off his chair” when he missed a shot, Martin remembered squaring up to him and saying, “Fall down your m*****f*****g chair one more time and see what happens.”

Karl recently tried to bury the hatchet as he responded to Kenyon’s continuous jibes. Taking to Twitter, Karl wrote, “Hey Kenyon let’s find some love, my guy. You keep telling angry stories from 15 years ago. How can I help you find peace and happiness?! Give me a call.” However, it doesn’t seem Martin is in any mood to forgive Karl.

The NBA Hall of Famer received death threats from former player

A little before George tried to rebuild burnt bridges, Kenyon made an appearance on another show revealing a time he threatened his former coach. Speaking on the show ‘Run it Back’ by FuelDuelTV, Martin stated, “Man, f— George Karl!” Explaining that he was left on the bench for games on end, Kenyon remembers spilling his frustration in the locker room.

Recounting the incident he admitted, “I threatened his life and everything!” Coach George Karl was soon asked about Martin’s remarks to which he expressed his sadness stating, “It made me sad. It disappoints me that I can get a person that angry.” 

With the Hall of Famer claiming to be rueful about his past dealings with his players is it time for Kenyon to bury the hatchet?

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