90s Week: What made Kevin Garnett so special coming out of high school
From the moment he stepped on the floor in the NBA, Kevin Garnett has been one of the best players in the history of the league. Drafted fifth overall by the Minnesota Timberwolves in 1995, Garnett was the first in a long line of high school players that made the jump directly from the preps to the pros. Guys like Kobe Bryant, Tracy McGrady, LeBron James, and many others would’ve likely had second thoughts about following in his footsteps had Garnett not succeeded first.
Garnett was one of the best high school basketball players in the country. The future MVP grew up his whole life in South Carolina but transferred to Chicago Farragut Academy for his senior year because of an incident involving a fight at school. Garnett flourished at the Farragut basketball powerhouse, being named the USA Today National High School Player of the Year with averages of 25.2 points, 17.9 rebounds, 6.7 assists, and 6.5 blocks per game in his final high school season. He also won MVP of the 1995 McDonald’s All-American game after posting 18 points, 11 rebounds, four assists, and three blocks against some of the nation’s best high school players who also went on to have successful NBA careers.
We are celebrating 90s week across the Hardwood Paroxysm Network, taking a look back at some of the teams and players that helped basketball in the 1990s great. Here is a look at Kevin Garnett as a high school prospect heading into the NBA.
OFFENSE
When you watch Garnett’s high school tape, he immediately sticks out. At 6-11 with extremely long arms, he is so athletically superior to every other player on the floor, and his physical profile was way too much for the majority of high school athletes to handle. These types of highlights happened frequently on a game-to-game basis for Garnett.
Outside of the vicious dunks and athletic finishes, Garnett also flashed some of the skills that he has developed in the league as well.
Garnett’s go-to move on offense has always been his turnaround jumper. He will catch the ball with his back to the basket, sometimes fake like he is going left shoulder, then turn over his right shoulder for his shot. That high release is hard to guard in the NBA, so you can only imagine how impossible it was to defend for average high school players.
One of the more underrated parts of Garnett’s game has always been his passing ability. During his senior year, Garnett averaged over six assists per game. While his career 3.7 assists per game doesn’t seem like much, Garnett averaged over five assists per game for the majority of his prime and is currently in the top 50 all-time in career assists. He frequently got double or triple teamed in high school and he was able to make the right read by finding the open man when that happened.
DEFENSE
This is the end of the floor where Garnett has really made his money over the years.
Garnett currently sits at ninth all-time in career rebounds, stacking up against the historic greats such as Karl Malone, Wilt Chamberlain, and Bill Russell. In high school, it was easy for him to dominate the glass given how much he was blessed physically. He had no fear of going up and getting rebounds in the middle of traffic.
Garnett’s always been an elite shot blocker, too. His length and athleticism combined with his incredible instincts has made him one of the best defenders in NBA history and a remarkable rim protector for many years, ranking 17th all-time in career blocks.
When he was a prep star, Garnett’s blocks were demoralizing for his opponents, often volleyball spiking the ball to the floor or the bleachers. Throughout the course of a game, it seemed like he was everywhere on the court at once, playing a part in every sequence.
WHAT MAKES HIM GREAT
Much of Garnett’s success over the years comes from his relentless work ethic and desire for success. His intensity and emotion has been unmatched by anyone. For better or worse, he hasn’t ever changed, always playing hard and always getting hyped.
He was, and remains to be, one of the best teammates. There are plenty of times where he gets more pumped for the guys on his team than himself and what he is doing. In many ways, Garnett resembles the positives of the NBA fraternity — players genuinely wanting to see others succeed and helping the younger generation grow into the next wave of stars.
No matter how you feel about KG or where you stand on him as a player, his unwavering passion for the game has never changed. He never compromised who he was even when he got to the league. Many players who left straight out of high school didn’t work out because they couldn’t handle the pressure or distractions that come with being an NBA player. Even though he may not have been liked by some, Garnett’s personality moved him to work harder than anyone and led him to be one of the best players of all-time.
Elliot Gerard is a featured illustrator and designer for established sports brands including ESPN, CBS, SNY, The Madison Square Garden Company (working directly with the New York Knicks and Rangers), The New York Red Bulls, The Phoenix Suns, FanSided, and many others. He is extremely grateful for all his clients and fans. He lives in New York with his wife and baby daughter. You can find him on Instagram, Twitter (@elliotgerard), and at ElliotGerard.com.