Kevin Maurice Garnett is an NBA basketball player who began his illustrious career with the Minnesota Timberwolves of the NBA draft. Since 1975, he was the only player to be drafted straight out of high school. He spent the first 12 seasons of his basketball career with the Timberwolves, setting yet another record: the longest current tenure of any player in the NBA with a single team. He led the Timberwolves to eight consecutive playoff berths and the Western Conference Finals during his time with the team. Garnett has been selected to 15 NBA All-Star Games, winning the All-Star MVP title in 2003, and is tied for the second-most All-Star appearances in NBA history. He has been named to the All-NBA Teams nine times and the All-Defensive Teams twelve times. Garnett presently boasts a number of Timberwolves franchise records that are unrivaled. He was moved to the Boston Celtics in a three-year $60 million contract extension deal after a long tenure with the franchise. He not only helped the franchise win its first NBA title since 1986, but he also finished third in the MVP voting. He was dealt to the Brooklyn Nets in 2013.
Childhood and Adolescence
Shirley Garnett and O’Lewis McCullough raised Kevin Garnett in Greenville, South Carolina. His parents were never legally married, and his father abandoned his mother after he was born. She was solely responsible for his upbringing. Garnett started playing basketball for the first time at Hillcrest Middle School, but it was at Mauldin High School that he started playing for the school team.
Although Garnett was doing well in school with basketball, an awful event occurred, and he was involved in a racially motivated altercation. He was charged with lynching in the second degree. Despite the fact that all accusations against him were dropped, he chose to leave Mauldin.
He was transferred to Chicago’s Farragut Career Academy, where he finished his senior year. He excelled in basketball, earning the title of National High School Player of the Year from USA Today.
Around the same time, he was named Most Outstanding Player, and he was named one of the 35 Greatest McDonald’s All Americans to commemorate the 35th anniversary of the McDonald’s All American High School Boys Basketball Game.
Career of Kevin
Garnett was the first player in NBA history to be picked straight out of high school by the Minnesota Timberwolves in 1995. He was moved to the starting line by the Timberwolves’ new head coach. He had a good debut year despite not being a superstar yet. Garnett’s performance improved the following season, 1996-97, which resulted in the Timberwolves’ performance improving as well. He finished the game with 17.0 points, 8.0 rebounds, 3.1 assists, 2.1 blocks, and 1.7 steals.
The 1997-98 season opened with the Timberwolves and Garnett agreeing to extend their partnership for another six years. He increased his points, rebounds, assists, blocks, and steals per game, averaging 18.5 points, 9.6 rebounds, 4.2 assists, 1.8 blocks, and 1.7 steals per game. Garnett was nominated to the All-NBA Third Team the following season after averaging 20.8 points, 10.4 rebounds, 4.3 assists, and 1.8 blocks per game. Around this time, he began to gain notoriety.
Too many problems marred the Timberwolves’ success in 1999-2000–– the NBA ruled Joe Smith’s free agent signing was illegal. As a result, three first-round draft picks were taken away from the team, and the owner was penalized. Garnett continued to progress, earning another All-NBA Second Team selection in 2001-02. He averaged 21.2 points, 12.1 rebounds, 5.2 assists, 1.6 blocks, and 1.2 steals a game. Garnett was no longer the Timberwolves’ only star in 2003-04; he was joined by players such as Sprewell, Cassell, and others. He had 24.2 points, 13.9 rebounds, 5.0 assists, 2.2 blocks, and 1.5 steals with their help.
In 2004-05, Garnett was chosen to the All-NBA Second Franchise, but the Timberwolves were struggling, and the next season was much worse, as the team was forced to release Cassell, resulting in the team’s second-worst record since Garnett’s arrival. Garnett was transferred to the Boston Celtics in 2007 after spending his first 12 seasons with the Minnesota Timberwolves. With one franchise, he has the longest current tenure of any player in the NBA.
In 2007-08, Garnett made his Boston debut against the Washington Wizards, scoring 22 points and grabbing 20 rebounds. He also received the most votes of any player in the 2008 NBA All-Star Game. Garnett received 2,399,148 votes, which is the sixth most in NBA All-Star voting history. Garnett was selected NBA Defensive Player of the Year in 2008. Since the franchise’s inception in 1946, it was the only major trophy that no Celtic player has won. He also finished third in the MVP voting for the season.
During the 2008-09 season, he averaged 15.8 points, 8.5 rebounds, and 2.5 assists per game, becoming the NBA’s youngest player to surpass 1,000 career games. He was also named to his thirteenth consecutive All-Star Game, despite a knee ailment. Garnett was chosen to play in the 2010 NBA All-Star Game, marking his 13th appearance in the game. The 2010 NBA Finals proceeded to a seventh and decisive game in Los Angeles, where the Celtics led far into the third quarter until the Lakers made a rally and won.
Achievements & Awards
He holds numerous NBA records, including “Only player in NBA history to reach at least 25,000 points, 10,000 rebounds, 5,000 assists, 1,500 steals, and 1,500 blocks in his career,” “Only player in NBA history to average at least 20 points, 10 rebounds, and 5 assists per game for six consecutive seasons,” and “Only player in NBA history to average at least 20 points, 10 rebounds, and 5 assists per game for six consecutive seasons.”
Other honors include: “NBA champion (2008),” “Olympic gold medal (2000),” “NBA Most Valuable Player (2004),” “NBA Defensive Player of the Year (2008),” “NBA All-Star Game MVP (2003),” and “NBA All-Star Game MVP (2003),” among others. The most notable feat of Garnett’s basketball career is his 12-year run with the Minnesota Timberwolves, the NBA franchise with whom he began his career right after high school. He took the Timberwolves to the playoffs eight times in a row.
Estimated Net Worth
According to celebritynetworth.com, Kevin Garnett has a net worth of $120 million as of 2021. He’s one of the top ten wealthiest NBA players ever.
Trivia
He got a six-year contract extension with the Minnesota Timberwolves in 1997, worth a staggering $126 million.