On Friday, Kevin Garnett officially announced he’d be retiring after 21 unforgettable seasons.
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After winning the MVP award in 2004, KG went on to win his one and only National Basketball Association championship with the Boston Celtics in 2008.
In over two decades of playing in the NBA, Kevin Garnett was the one who opened the door for a whole new wave of talent to enter the league.
When the power forward returned to the Timberwolves in February of past year, it was reported by sources at ESPN that Garnett had re-joined the franchise with the intentions of owning the side following his retirement.
That run reached a peak in 2004, as Minnesota reached the Western Conference Finals before losing to the Los Angeles Lakers.
He joins future Hall of Famers Tim Duncan and Kobe Bryant in bowing out of the sport in 2016.
He was selected by the Minnesota Timberwolves, a team that Garnett would later single-handedly put on the map. “We going to be all right, man”. “He held himself to the highest standard of preparation and performance for a remarkable 21 seasons”.
During his second stint with the Wolves, he served as a mentor to youngsters like Karl-Anthony Towns, Andrew Wiggins, Gorgui Dieng and Zach LaVine, instilling in them a sense of intensity and professionalism that helped lay the foundation for what the team hopes is a breakout year for the upcoming season. He set career highs nearly across the board, finishing with 24.2 points, 13.9 rebounds and five assists per game en route to winning his first (and only) MVP. Garnett altered that, and big guys that have been able to extend their careers as perimeter-oriented players have him to thank for it.
The big man worked closely with unanimous 2016 Rookie of the Year victor Karl-Anthony Towns last season, and it looks as though Garnett could continue working alongside the Timberwolves’ young, maturing roster.
The 40-year-old departs as the most productive player in the history of the Timberwolves, where he spent 13 1/2 of his 21 seasons.
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Garnett further played 1462 games and averaged 17.8 points, 10 rebounds and 3.7 assists per game throughout his career. One of his trademark moves was to block the shot of an opposing player who tried to get a freebie after a foul was called.
