Kevin Garnett facts for kids
Garnett with the Boston Celtics in 2008
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| Personal information | ||||||||||||||||||||
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| Born | May 19, 1976 Greenville, South Carolina, U.S. |
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| High school |
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| Listed height | 6 ft 11 in (2.11 m) | |||||||||||||||||||
| Listed weight | 240 lb (109 kg) | |||||||||||||||||||
| Career information | ||||||||||||||||||||
| NBA Draft | 1995 / Round: 1 / Pick: 5th overall | |||||||||||||||||||
| Selected by the Minnesota Timberwolves | ||||||||||||||||||||
| Pro career | 1995–2016 | |||||||||||||||||||
| Career history | ||||||||||||||||||||
| 1995–2007 | Minnesota Timberwolves | |||||||||||||||||||
| 2007–2013 | Boston Celtics | |||||||||||||||||||
| 2013–2015 | Brooklyn Nets | |||||||||||||||||||
| 2015–2016 | Minnesota Timberwolves | |||||||||||||||||||
| Career highlights and awards | ||||||||||||||||||||
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| Career statistics | ||||||||||||||||||||
| Points | 26,071 (17.8 ppg) | |||||||||||||||||||
| Rebounds | 14,662 (10.0 rpg) | |||||||||||||||||||
| Assists | 5,445 (3.7 apg) | |||||||||||||||||||
| Stats at Basketball-Reference.com | ||||||||||||||||||||
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Medals
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Kevin Maurice Garnett (born May 19, 1976) is a former American professional basketball player. He played for 21 seasons in the National Basketball Association (NBA). People called him "the Big Ticket" because he was so exciting to watch. Many consider Garnett one of the best power forwards ever. He was known for his strong effort, ability to play many roles, and great defense.
As of 2025, Kevin Garnett is one of only five NBA players to win both the NBA Most Valuable Player (MVP) Award and the NBA Defensive Player of the Year Award.
Garnett was a top high school player in 1995. He was chosen as a McDonald's All-American and won a national player of the year award. He then joined the 1995 NBA draft. The Minnesota Timberwolves picked him fifth overall. He was the first NBA player drafted straight from high school in 20 years.
Garnett quickly made a big difference for the Timberwolves. He helped them reach the playoffs eight times in a row. In 2004, he led the Timberwolves to the Western Conference Finals and won the NBA MVP Award. He later won the NBA Defensive Player of the Year award in the 2007–08 season with the Boston Celtics.
In 2007, Garnett was traded to the Celtics. He helped them win the 2008 NBA Finals against the Los Angeles Lakers. In 2013, Garnett was traded again, this time to the Brooklyn Nets with his longtime Celtics teammate Paul Pierce. In 2015, Garnett returned to play for Minnesota. He stopped playing professional basketball in September 2016. He was added to the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in 2020. In 2021, he was named to the NBA 75th Anniversary Team, which honors the greatest players in NBA history.
During his NBA career, Garnett was chosen for 15 All-Star Games. He won the All-Star MVP award in 2003. He was named to the All-NBA Team nine times and the NBA All-Defensive Team 12 times. Garnett also holds many team records for the Timberwolves.
Garnett also appeared in the 2019 movie Uncut Gems. He played a version of himself in the film.
Contents
Early Life and High School Basketball
Kevin Garnett was born on May 19, 1976, in Greenville, South Carolina. He is the middle child and has two sisters. Kevin grew up with his mother and stepfather.
Garnett loved basketball from a young age. He started playing organized basketball in high school. For his first three years, he went to Mauldin High School in Mauldin, South Carolina. He played on the school's basketball team there.
Before his senior year, Garnett was near a fight between students. Even though he was not directly involved, he was wrongly arrested. The charges were later cleared. Because of this incident, Garnett decided to leave Mauldin High. He moved to Chicago and transferred to Farragut Career Academy for his senior year.
Living with his sister in Chicago, Garnett led Farragut to a great 28–2 record. He was named National High School Player of the Year by USA Today. He also won the Mr. Basketball award for Illinois. In his senior year, he averaged 25.2 points, 17.9 rebounds, 6.7 assists, and 6.5 blocks per game.
Over his four years in high school, Garnett scored 2,553 points, grabbed 1,809 rebounds, and blocked 737 shots. He played alongside Ronnie Fields, who also became a professional basketball player. Garnett was named the Most Outstanding Player at the McDonald's All-American Game. After this, he decided to enter the 1995 NBA draft directly. He chose not to play college basketball because he did not meet the academic requirements for college sports.
Professional Basketball Career
Minnesota Timberwolves (1995–2007)
Starting in the NBA
In the 1995 NBA draft, the Minnesota Timberwolves picked Kevin Garnett as the fifth overall player. He was the first player drafted straight from high school since 1975. Before Garnett joined, the Timberwolves had not won more than 29 games in any season.
In his first year, Garnett started some games and showed promise. He averaged 10.4 points and 6.3 rebounds per game. He was named to the All-Rookie Second Team. The Timberwolves still struggled, missing the playoffs for the seventh year in a row. Garnett was the youngest NBA player at the time, at 19 years and 11 months old.
Before the 1996–97 season, the Timberwolves added Stephon Marbury to their team. Garnett improved his game, averaging 17.0 points, 8.0 rebounds, and 2.1 blocks. The team finished with a 40–42 record, making their first playoff appearance ever. However, they lost in the first round to the Houston Rockets.
Becoming a Star Player
In 1997, Garnett signed a huge contract extension with the Timberwolves. This contract was worth $126 million over six years. Many people thought this deal was risky. Some even believed it caused problems between players and team owners, leading to a lockout that shortened the 1998–99 NBA season.
Despite the talk about his contract, Garnett kept getting better. He averaged 18.5 points, 9.6 rebounds, and 4.2 assists. He was an All-Star again. The Timberwolves had their first winning season with a 45–37 record. But they lost in the first round of the playoffs again.
In the shortened 1998–99 season, Garnett truly became a superstar. He averaged 20.8 points, 10.4 rebounds, and 4.3 assists. He was named to the All-NBA Third Team. However, his teammate Stephon Marbury was traded. The team struggled and lost in the first round of the playoffs once more.
In the 1999–2000 NBA season, Garnett continued his amazing play. He averaged 22.9 points, 11.8 rebounds, and 5.0 assists. He was named to the All-NBA First Team for the first time. The Timberwolves had their best record ever, 50–32, but again lost in the first round of the playoffs.
In May 2000, Garnett's close friend and teammate Malik Sealy died in a car accident. This was a very sad time for Garnett and the team. Later that year, the NBA punished the Timberwolves for breaking rules about signing a player. This meant the team lost some future draft picks. Despite these challenges, Garnett led the Wolves to a 47–35 record in the 2000–01 NBA season. They still lost in the first round of the playoffs.
MVP and Division Champions
In the 2001–02 season, Garnett had another great year. He averaged 21.2 points, 12.1 rebounds, and 5.2 assists. He was named to the All-NBA Second Team. But the Timberwolves lost in the first round of the playoffs for the sixth time in a row.
Garnett's next season was one of his best. He averaged 23.0 points, 13.4 rebounds, and 6.0 assists. He was named to the All-NBA First Team again. The Timberwolves had a good 51–31 record, but they still couldn't get past the first round of the playoffs.
In the 2003–04 season, things finally clicked for Garnett and the Timberwolves. The team added talented players Latrell Sprewell and Sam Cassell. With a stronger team around him, Garnett had an incredible season. He averaged 24.2 points, 13.9 rebounds, 5.0 assists, and 2.2 blocks. He led the league in rebounds. For the first time in his career, Garnett was named the league's Most Valuable Player.
The Timberwolves had a franchise-record 58 wins. They finally broke their playoff losing streak, beating the Denver Nuggets in the first round. They then defeated the Sacramento Kings in a tough seven-game series. In the Western Conference Finals, they faced the Los Angeles Lakers. Key players on the Timberwolves got injured, and the Lakers won the series.
Later Years in Minnesota
The years after the MVP season were tough for Garnett and the Timberwolves. In the 2004–05 NBA season, Garnett scored a career-high 47 points in one game. He was named to the All-NBA Second Team. However, the team missed the playoffs for the first time in eight years.
The 2005–06 NBA season brought more frustration. The team's record dropped to 33–49. Despite Garnett's strong play, the team had one of its worst records since he joined. The Timberwolves' record got even worse in 2006–07, going 32–50. Garnett earned All-NBA Third Team honors in both these seasons.
During the 2007 off-season, the team owner started listening to trade offers for Garnett. Garnett said he wanted to play for the Lakers, Celtics, or Suns. He tried to contact Lakers superstar Kobe Bryant about joining the team, but couldn't reach him.
Boston Celtics (2007–2013)
NBA Championship and Defensive Player of the Year
On July 31, 2007, Garnett was traded to the Boston Celtics. This was a huge trade involving many players. Garnett had played for the Timberwolves for 12 seasons, the longest time any player had been with one team in the NBA at that point. Garnett was excited to join the Celtics and continue their winning history. He signed a new contract extension with the team.
Many experts believed the Celtics would be great in the 2007–08 NBA season with Garnett. He joined Paul Pierce and Ray Allen, forming a powerful trio nicknamed "The Big Three." Garnett wore jersey number 5 for the Celtics because his number 21 was already retired by the team.
Garnett had a strong debut for Boston with 22 points and 20 rebounds. He received the most votes for the 2008 NBA All-Star Game. However, he couldn't play due to an injury. On March 8, he reached 20,000 career points, becoming the 32nd player in NBA history to do so.
On April 22, Garnett was named the NBA Defensive Player of the Year for the 2007–08 season. This was the only major award a Celtics player had not won since the team started in 1946. Garnett said it was a team effort that helped him win. He also finished third in the MVP voting that year.
Garnett helped the Celtics win their 17th NBA Championship. He had 26 points and 14 rebounds in Game 6 of the 2008 NBA Finals. During that championship season, Garnett became good friends with Celtics legend Bill Russell. Garnett said Russell greatly influenced his success with the Celtics.
Injuries and Playoff Runs
In the 2008–09 NBA season, Garnett played in 57 games. He averaged 15.8 points, 8.5 rebounds, and 2.5 assists. He became the youngest player in NBA history to play 1,000 career games. He was also chosen for his twelfth straight All-Star Game.
However, Garnett injured his right knee in February 2009. He missed the rest of the regular season and the 2009 playoffs. He had knee surgery in May 2009. Without Garnett, the Celtics lost in the Eastern Conference semi-finals.
In the 2009–10 NBA season, Garnett and the Celtics faced injuries but still made the playoffs. Garnett was selected for his 13th All-Star Game. The Celtics played very well in the playoffs. They beat the Miami Heat, Cleveland Cavaliers, and Orlando Magic to reach the 2010 NBA Finals. They faced the Los Angeles Lakers in a thrilling seven-game series. The Celtics led for much of Game 7, but the Lakers came back and won the championship.
In the 2010–11 NBA season, the Celtics started strong. Garnett injured his right knee again in December 2010, missing two weeks. The Celtics finished third in their conference. They swept the New York Knicks in the first round of the playoffs. Then they faced the Miami Heat in the semi-finals and lost the series.
In the shortened 2011–12 NBA season, Garnett and the Celtics started slowly. Garnett was not chosen for the All-Star game for the first time in 11 years. However, Boston played much better in the second half of the season. They made a deep run in the playoffs, reaching the Eastern Conference Finals. They lost to the Miami Heat in a tough seven-game series. Garnett played very well in these playoffs, averaging 19.2 points and 10.3 rebounds.
On June 30, 2012, Garnett signed a new three-year contract with the Celtics. In January 2013, he was voted to start in the All-Star Game again. On February 7, 2013, Garnett scored his 25,000th point, a huge milestone.
On August 20, 2021, the Celtics announced they would retire Garnett's number 5 jersey. This ceremony happened on March 13, 2022.
Brooklyn Nets (2013–2015)
On June 27, 2013, Kevin Garnett, Paul Pierce, and Jason Terry were traded from the Boston Celtics to the Brooklyn Nets. The Nets also received D. J. White. Garnett chose to wear number 2 to honor his former Minnesota Timberwolves teammate Malik Sealy, who had passed away.
On December 13, 2013, Garnett reached over 14,000 career rebounds. He became only the tenth player in NBA history to do so. By reaching this, Garnett joined Kareem Abdul-Jabbar and Karl Malone as the only players with 25,000 points, 14,000 rebounds, and 5,000 assists.
The Nets valued Garnett's leadership. However, even with a strong starting lineup, the Nets could not get past the second round of the playoffs. Garnett finished his 19th NBA season with lower averages of 6.5 points and 6.6 rebounds per game.
On November 1, 2014, Garnett had one of his best games for the Nets. He scored 18 points and grabbed 14 rebounds. Six days later, he passed Walt Bellamy to become ninth on the all-time rebounding list.
Return to Minnesota (2015–2016)
On February 19, 2015, Garnett agreed to be traded back to the Minnesota Timberwolves. Six days later, he played his first game back for the Timberwolves. He had five points and eight rebounds in 19 minutes. He only played in five games for the Timberwolves that season. He missed the rest of the season due to a knee injury.
On July 11, 2015, Garnett signed a new two-year deal with the Timberwolves. On November 15, 2015, he became the fifth player in NBA history to play at least 50,000 minutes. On December 1, he moved to third place on the NBA's career minutes list. Four days later, he became the 15th player in NBA history to score over 26,000 career points.
On December 11, Garnett passed Karl Malone to become the NBA's all-time leader in defensive rebounds. He finished the game with 11,409 defensive rebounds. Garnett played in 38 games that season before missing the rest of the year with another right knee injury.
On September 23, 2016, Kevin Garnett announced his retirement after 21 seasons in the NBA. He had wanted to play one more season to help the young Timberwolves team reach the playoffs. However, he told the team owner that his knees might not hold up for another year. In his Hall of Fame speech, Kevin Garnett said his only regret was not bringing a championship to the Timberwolves.
National Team Career
In the 2000 Summer Olympics, Garnett won a gold medal as a member of the United States national team. In his only international tournament, Garnett averaged 10.8 points, 9.1 rebounds, and 2.1 assists per game.
After Basketball
In October 2016, Garnett joined the TV show Inside the NBA on TNT. The next month, he started his own segment called Area 21. In January 2017, Garnett became a consultant for the Los Angeles Clippers. He also worked with the Milwaukee Bucks during the 2016–17 season.
Uncut Gems Film Role
Garnett played a version of himself in the 2019 crime thriller film Uncut Gems. The movie is set during the 2012 NBA playoffs. While playing in Philadelphia, Garnett visits a jewelry store in New York City. He becomes interested in a special Ethiopian opal. The story connects Garnett's performance in the playoff series with his relationship to the opal.
Critics praised Garnett's acting in the movie. The directors chose Garnett after considering other players. Garnett said filming the movie felt special.
Personal Life
Kevin Garnett wore clothes with "OBF" on them, which stood for "Official Block Family." This was the name he gave to his close friends from his hometown. He often brought these friends to live with him in Minnesota.
In July 2004, Garnett married his longtime girlfriend Brandi Padilla. They had a private ceremony in California. Because of his wedding, Garnett did not play in the Athens Olympic Games. The couple has two daughters. In July 2018, Garnett's wife filed for divorce.
Garnett is the half-brother of former basketball player Louis McCullough. Another professional basketball player, Shammond Williams, is his cousin.
His nicknames include "The Big Ticket," "KG," "The Kid," and "The Franchise." He had unique ways of getting ready for games, showing his intense focus. Although the NBA officially lists Garnett as 6 feet 11 inches tall, many believe he is at least 7 feet tall. In 2011, Garnett became a part-owner of an Italian soccer team, A.S. Roma.
In February 2021, Garnett released his autobiography, KG: A to Z: An Uncensored Encyclopedia of Life, Basketball, and Everything in Between. He wrote it with David Ritz.
Achievements and Records
Kevin Garnett has many impressive achievements and records:
- Only NBA player to reach at least 25,000 points, 10,000 rebounds, 5,000 assists, 1,500 steals, and 1,500 blocks.
- Only NBA player to average at least 20 points, 10 rebounds, and 5 assists per game for 6 seasons in a row: 1999–2004.
- Only NBA player to average at least 20 points, 10 rebounds, and 4 assists per game for 9 seasons in a row: 1998–2006.
- Led the league in defensive rebounds 5 times: 2002–2006.
- First NBA player to win the NBA Player of the Month Award four times in one season: 2003–04 season.
- Third NBA player to lead his team in all five main statistics (points, rebounds, assists, steals, blocks) in the same season: Minnesota Timberwolves, 2002.
- Tied for the second most seasons played in the NBA: 21 seasons.
Major Achievements:
- 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
- 15-time NBA All-Star: 1997–2011, 2013
- 9-time All-NBA selection:
- First Team: 2000, 2003, 2004, 2008
- Second Team: 2001, 2002, 2005
- Third Team: 1999, 2007
- 12-time All-Defensive Team selection:
- First Team: 2000–2005, 2008–2009, 2011
- Second Team: 2006–2007, 2012
- NBA All-Rookie Second Team: 1996
- J. Walter Kennedy Citizenship Award: 2006 (for community service)
- NBA 75th Anniversary Team: 2021
See also
In Spanish: Kevin Garnett para niños
