Hall of Fame power forward Kevin Garnett is reportedly reuniting with the Minnesota Timberwolves in a move that will finally result in the retirement of his No. 21 jersey by the organization.
According to ESPN’s Shams Charania, Garnett will take on an “all-encompassing role involving business, community efforts and content development” with the T-Wolves and the WNBA’s Minnesota Lynx as well.
Charania added that Garnett had a falling out with then-Timberwolves owner Glen Taylor following his retirement in 2016, which resulted in KG refusing to have his number retired. However, Garnett “built a rapport” with new owners Alex Rodriguez and Marc Lore, leading to the long-awaited reunion.
In 2020, Garnett told Charania (h/t Chris Bengel of CBS Sports) that Taylor was a “snake,” adding, “I try not to do business with openly snakes or people who are snake-like.”
Charania reported at the time that an agreement was in place for Garnett and then-Timberwolves head coach and president of basketball operations Flip Saunders to one day succeed Taylor as owners of the team. However, when Saunders died in 2015, the deal was rescinded.
Garnett, 49, played 21 NBA seasons with the Timberwolves, Boston Celtics and Brooklyn Nets. Fourteen of those 21 seasons came as a member of the T-Wolves.
During his tenure in Minnesota, KG earned nine of his 15 career All-Star nods and eight of his nine career All-NBA selections.
Garnett was also named NBA MVP in 2004 when he averaged 24.2 points, 13.9 rebounds, 5.0 assists, 2.2 blocks and 1.5 steals per game.
The one thing missing from Garnett’s Timberwolves résumé is an NBA championship, as he never made it past the Western Conference Finals during his time in Minnesota.
KG did go on to win a championship in Boston, though, alongside Paul Pierce and Ray Allen.
Garnett is the Timberwolves’ all-time leader in games played, points, rebounds, assists, blocks and steals, so it is only fitting that he will finally be properly honored by the franchise and part of the T-Wolves family once again.
