KG, who entered the National Basketball Association straight out of high school in 1995 and spent the first 12 years of his career with the Minnesota Timberwolves, made plenty of headlines and claimed plenty of honors. The Wolves will take the same procedural step the San Antonio Spurs took when Tim Duncan retired at the end of last season. After two seasons with the Nets, he returned to the Wolves in 2015. I always think back to Garnett’s relationship with Malik Sealy, who Garnett grew up admiring while Sealy was playing at St John’s University. Minnesota hired Sam Mitchell, another close Garnett ally, as the interim coach to replace Saunders.
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When the power forward returned to the Timberwolves in February of a year ago, it was reported by sources at ESPN that Garnett had re-joined the franchise with the intentions of owning the side following his retirement. “Loved on & off the court, a role model, & one of the most influential players to ever play the game”. He’s leaving on the same team that drafted him No. 5 in 1995.
Garnett remained in Boston until June 2013, when the Celtics traded him to Brooklyn. Garnett’s successful leap helped inspire many players, including Kobe Bryant and LeBron James, to follow his path until the National Basketball Association stopped allowing players to enter the league straight from high school in 2006. Garnett knows and understands his defensive philosophies from their time together with the Boston Celtics. As Garnett became one of the best players in the league, he played alongside the likes of Tom Gugliotta and Wally Szczerbiak – and lost in the first round seven straight seasons.
Garnett departs as one of the league’s elder statesman. “I wish him the very best in the future and want to thank him, along with our fans, for the great memories that he has given us”. While he was obviously an offensive juggernaut, his defensive prowess was just as awesome as he was a 9-time All-NBA Defensive Team member. He played the first 12 years in Minnesota leading them to a western conference finals appearance in 2004, a season in which he also won MVP.
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“I am,” he said when asked about being in Minnesota for the long haul. Kobe Bryant and Kevin Garnett held this mutual respect for 20 years, and both are now on the other side of the game as retirees.
