The Minnesota Timberwolves will be retiring Kevin Garnett’s jersey number 21 on February 28 according to the Associated Press on Friday. The Timberwolves will be hosting the Boston Celtics at the Target Center.
Garnett of Greenville, South Carolina is the second Timberwolves player to have his number retired. He follows small forward Malik Sealy of Bronx, New York, who was honoured on November 4, 2000. Sealy, who wore number two, was killed in a car accident on May 20, 2000, after attending Garnett’s birthday party.
The Timberwolves become the second NBA franchise to have honoured Garnett over the years. The Boston Celtics retired Garnett’s number 5 on February 13, 2022 against the Dallas Mavericks.
Garnett played 14 seasons in two different stints with the Timberwolves. He started his career in Minnesota by playing 12 straight years there from 1995 to 2007. Garnett then finished his career with the Timberwolves by playing two seasons there from 2015 to 2016. He was the fifth overall pick in the 1995 NBA Draft and was a NBA All-Star 10 times representing Minnesota.
In 970 games with the Timberwolves, Garnett averaged 19.8 points per game, 11 rebounds per game, 4.3 assists per game, 1.6 blocks per game and 1.4 steals per game. Four times with the Timberwolves, Garnett led the NBA in most total rebounds per game in a season, and in 2003-04, Garnett was the NBA’s most valuable player. Also in the 2003-04 season, Garnett led the NBA with 1987 points.
Garnett is also the Timberwolves all-time franchise leader in several statistical categories. They are games played, minutes played (36189), field goals (7647), two point field goals (7483), free throws (3743), total rebounds (10718), offensive rebounds (2588), defensive rebounds (8130), assists (4216), steals (1315), blocks (1590), points (19201), and triple doubles (16). In 2020, Garnett was inducted into the Naismith Hall of Fame.
