NBA great Kevin Garnett calls it quits after 21 seasons
Anything is possible, even the end of Kevin Garnett's storied 21-year career.
Garnett — the 2004 MVP and a 15-time All-Star — announced Friday he will retire after 21 seasons in the NBA.
After multiple reports said Garnett and the Minnesota Timberwolves had reached a buyout agreement, both parties made the news official on social media.
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Garnett spent the bulk of his career in Minnesota. In 1995, the Timberwolves drafted him straight out of high school. Garnett's successful leap helped inspire many players, including Kobe Bryant and LeBron James, to follow his path until the NBA stopped allowing players to enter the league straight from high school in 2006.
“It has been a real joy to watch KG come into the league as a young man and watch him develop his skills to become one of the very best in the NBA,” said Timberwolves owner Glen Taylor in the team's official announcement. “I have treasured the opportunity to see him grow as a leader. I wish him continued success in the next chapter of his life. His Minnesota fans will always cherish the memories he has provided.”
He led Minnesota to eight straight playoff berths before his trade to the Celtics in 2007, where he promptly won an NBA Championship and provided one of the greatest sports sound bites ever.
That intensity came to define Garnett. He's known for banging his head against a padded wall before games. According to Cavaliers' head coach Tyronn Lue, Garnett once got so hyped watching Puff Daddy's Making The Band that he head-butted a hole in the wall of his own house.
Garnett played three seasons with the Brooklyn Nets before returning to Minnesota last year. He's the Timberwolves' all-time leader in several statistical categories including points, rebounds, assists and steals.
Here are the top 10 plays of Garnett's career, compiled by the Timberwolves.
