He later teamed with Paul Pierce and Ray Allen to revive the Boston Celtics as an Eastern Conference power, winning an National Basketball Association title in 2008 over the Los Angeles Lakers. During his prime, Garnett averaged more than 20 points, 10 rebounds and over a block and steal per game for nine consecutive seasons.
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“Everything changed the day Kevin arrived in Boston”, Celtics co-owner Wyc Grousbeck said.
Garnett was drafted fifth overall by the Timberwolves in 1995 and became the best player in Timberwolves franchise history, leading the team to eight straight playoff appearances from 1997 to 2005. He played the have with passion and heart something that is not learned but something you are born with. “If you’re going to be anything in this league, you’ve gotta have an edge”, Garnett said in this video from 2011. Garnett and Michael Jordan are the only players to lead any current National Basketball Association franchise in all-time points, rebounds and assists.
When Garnett first arrived in Boston, then-coach Doc Rivers remembered thinking “No one can be this intense”.
In total, Garnett played 970 of his career 1,462 games for Minnesota, logging a total of 36,189 minutes. I don’t expect this to be easy, but so far, so good.
He became the first player drafted out of high school in nearly a decade, but became an example for the sport’s future superstars such as Kobe Bryant, LeBron James and Tracy McGrady, who joined the league without playing college basketball.
Garnett spent all or part of 14 seasons of his career, over two stints, with the Timberwolves. Garnett was encouraged by friend, confidant and former coach Flip Saunders to sign a two-year, $16 million contract with the Timberwolves 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. From that moment we knew we would get to the Finals and have a chance to win.
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Garnett played nearly two full seasons with the Nets, starting in 2013-14, and then ultimately being traded back to the Timberwolves in a deal that would bring Thaddeus Young to Brooklyn. Great teammate. It was a dream come true to play next to you. He was inactive for the final 37 games last season. “Things have changed so much and does he still want to do that?”
