30 players who define each NBA franchise
By Adam McGee
. PF. Minnesota Timberwolves 1995-07, 2015-present. Kevin Garnett. #21. player. 86
Honorable Mentions: Sam Mitchell, Kevin Love, Wally Szczerbiak
In many ways, it would have been more fitting if Kevin Garnett had retired years ago. Of course, it’s nice to see him reunited with the Minnesota Timberwolves again, but young KG was such a force of nature that it almost seems inappropriate for his career to peter out timidly in some sort of mentor role.
Garnett entered the league as a supreme talent, as well as the first player to turn pro straight out of high school in 20 years. That didn’t faze him in the slightest though, and although his rookie season was solid if not explosive, it all took off for him from that point on.
As an expansion franchise, the Timberwolves weren’t considered any real threat to anybody, and before Garnett’s arrival they hadn’t done anything to suggest otherwise either. At his prime in Minnesota, Garnett reached eight straight playoffs, which remain, to this day, Minnesota’s only trips to the postseason.
He’s a little loud, a little high energy, but he’s cool. I have more respect for him now because I’ve never seen anyone who wants to win as badly as he does. – Tim Duncan
That run culminated in a trip to the Conference Finals that resulted in a defeat to the Lakers, but Garnett would go on to get his hands on silverware once he landed in Boston. In the present, this may not be how Garnett’s career should have ended, yet if he can play any role in helping to nurture Karl Towns, Timberwolves fans will only love him even more.
Next: New Orleans Pelicans