Kevin Garnett Recounts 2000 Olympics and Team USA's $1 Million 'Bounty' to Dunk on Yao Ming

Garnett said the 2000 USA Men’s Basketball Team put a “bounty” on Yao Ming that would reward $1 million to the first player to dunk on him.

February 19, 2019

kevin garnett yao ming — MEMPHIS, TN - JANUARY 22: Kevin Garnett practice and watches film with Jaren Jackson Jr. #13 of the Memphis Grizzlies on January 22, 2019 at FedExForum in Memphis, Tennessee. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2019 NBAE (Photo by Joe Murphy/NBAE via Getty Images)
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September 25, 2000. That was the day Vince Carter stunned the international basketball world when he dunked over Frédéric Weis of France during the Summer Olympics in Sydney.

Carter’s memorable moment was punctuated by an equally enthusiastic Kevin Garnett coming over to him, narrowly dodging VC’s swinging fist, and matching his energy with an emphatic chest bump. Who would’ve thought that Garnett’s response may have been partially due to his incorrect assumption that Vinsanity became $1 million richer with the dunk.

In an interview with Yahoo Sports, Garnett revealed that the U.S. Men’s Basketball Team put up a $1 million "bounty" on Yao Ming. The money was to be given to the first player who could dunk on Yao. "First of all, people didn’t know, we had a bounty out on Yao Ming," KG said. "The whole USA team had a bet. We had a million dollar bet on who was going to be the first person to dunk on Yao Ming. None of us did. We all tried to dunk on Yao, but he would block it or we would miss."

When Carter threw it down over Weis, Garnett initially assumed Vince won the money before coming to his senses. "So, the first thing I thought of when I saw Vince dunk over Frederic was oh shit, you won the million dollars," he explains. "But then I realized it obviously wasn’t Yao. I pushed Vince, and if you look at the clip, he almost punches me in the face by accident. But my first thought was, oh shit, you won, you got the million."