History of Kevin Garnett in Timeline

Kevin Garnett, nicknamed "the Big Ticket", is a retired American professional basketball player who played 21 seasons in the NBA. Widely regarded as one of the greatest power forwards ever, he was known for his intensity, versatility, and defensive prowess. Notably, Garnett is one of only five players in NBA history to win both the NBA Most Valuable Player Award and the NBA Defensive Player of the Year Award, solidifying his legacy as an all-time great.

Sections (4)

Full Timeline Early Life & Education Career & Achievements Success & Recognition

1975: First Player Drafted out of High School

In the 1995 NBA draft, Kevin Garnett was drafted with the fifth overall pick by the Minnesota Timberwolves and became the first player to be drafted directly out of high school since 1975.

May 19, 1976: Kevin Garnett's Birth

On May 19, 1976, Kevin Maurice Garnett was born. He would later become a professional basketball player.

Others born on this day/year

1989: Timberwolves in the NBA

Since joining the NBA for the 1989–90 season, the Timberwolves had not won more than 29 games in any season prior to Kevin Garnett joining the team.

1995: Drafted by the Timberwolves

In 1995, Kevin Garnett was drafted by the Minnesota Timberwolves as the fifth overall pick. During his rookie season, he started coming off the bench but quickly moved to the starting lineup after Flip Saunders became the head coach.

1995: McDonald's All-American and NBA Draft

In 1995, Kevin Garnett was named a McDonald's All-American at Farragut Career Academy. He was also selected fifth overall by the Minnesota Timberwolves in the 1995 NBA draft, making him the first player drafted directly from high school in 20 years.

1995: Named Most Outstanding Player at McDonald's All-American Game

In 1995, Kevin Garnett was named the Most Outstanding Player at the McDonald's All-American Game after recording 18 points, 11 rebounds, 4 assists, and 3 blocked shots, which led him to declare himself eligible for the NBA draft.

1995: NBA Tryout

In 1995, after a Chicago area high school coach referred Kevin Garnett to Eric Fleisher, a tryout was arranged where Garnett dominated against older, more experienced competition, leading to significant NBA interest.

1995: NBA Draft Measurements

Measurements from the 1995 NBA draft indicated that Kevin Garnett, at 19 years old, was 6 ft 11 in (2.11 m) tall barefoot.

1996: Timberwolves Trade for Stephon Marbury

Before the 1996-97 NBA season, the Timberwolves traded for point guard Stephon Marbury.

August 1997: Contract Negotiations

In August 1997, Kevin Garnett and his agent turned down the Timberwolves' initial contract offer of $102 million over six years, anticipating a larger offer based on other player signings.

October 1, 1997: Contract Extension

On October 1, 1997, just before the deadline, Kevin Garnett and the Timberwolves agreed to a six-year contract extension worth $126 million, an unprecedented amount at the time.

1997: Minnesota Timberwolves Measurements

In 1997, the Minnesota Timberwolves training staff measured Kevin Garnett to be 7 ft 1 in (2.16 m) tall in his basketball shoes.

1997: First Playoff Appearance and All-Star Selections

In 1997, the Timberwolves made their first playoff appearance, achieving a 40-42 record. Kevin Garnett and Tom Gugliotta were selected as All-Stars. However, they were swept by the Houston Rockets in the first round of the 1997 NBA Playoffs.

1998: Garnett's Improved Performance

Despite the furor over his new contract, in the 1998 season, Garnett averaged improved stats of 18.5 points, 9.6 rebounds, 4.2 assists, 1.8 blocks, and 1.7 steals per game, earning another All-Star selection, and the Timberwolves achieved their first winning record, however the Timberwolves lost in the first round of the playoffs to the Seattle Supersonics.

1999: Breaking Through as a Superstar

In the lockout-shortened 1999 season, Kevin Garnett broke through as a superstar, averaging 20.8 points, 10.4 rebounds, 4.3 assists, and 1.8 blocks per game, earning him a spot on the All-NBA Third Team. Stephon Marbury was traded to the New Jersey Nets mid-season and the Timberwolves were defeated in the first round of the playoffs.

May 20, 2000: Death of Malik Sealy

On May 20, 2000, Timberwolves' guard and Kevin Garnett's close friend Malik Sealy was killed by a drunk driver shortly after celebrating Garnett's 24th birthday.

2000: Olympic Gold Medal

In 2000, Kevin Garnett won a gold medal as a member of the United States national team at the Summer Olympics. In the tournament, Garnett averaged 10.8 points, 9.1 rebounds, and 2.1 assists per game.

2000: Continued Notable Play

In the 1999-2000 NBA season, Kevin Garnett continued his notable play, averaging 22.9 points, 11.8 rebounds, 5.0 assists, 1.6 blocks, and 1.5 steals per game. Garnett earned his first All-NBA First Team appearance and came in second place in the MVP voting. The Timberwolves ended up losing to the Portland Trail Blazers 3-1 in the first round.

2001: All-NBA Second Team Nomination

During the 2001-02 NBA season, Kevin Garnett's averages of 21.2 points, 12.1 rebounds, 5.2 assists, 1.6 blocks, and 1.2 steals per game earned him another All-NBA Second Team nomination. However, the Timberwolves bowed out in the first round of the playoffs for the sixth consecutive time.

2003: All-Star MVP Award

In 2003, Kevin Garnett won the All-Star MVP award.

2003: MVP Award and Western Conference Finals Appearance

In the 2003-04 season, Kevin Garnett averaged 24.2 points, 13.9 rebounds, 5.0 assists, 2.2 blocks, and 1.5 steals per game. He was named the league Most Valuable Player and led the Timberwolves to the Western Conference Finals.

July 2004: Marriage to Brandi Padilla

In July 2004, Kevin Garnett married his longtime girlfriend Brandi Padilla during a private ceremony in California.

2004: NBA MVP Award

In 2004, Kevin Garnett led the Minnesota Timberwolves to the Western Conference Finals and was awarded the NBA MVP Award.

January 4, 2005: Career High Scoring Game

On January 4, 2005, Kevin Garnett scored a career-high 47 points along with 17 rebounds in a 115–122 loss to the Phoenix Suns.

July 31, 2007: Traded to the Boston Celtics

On July 31, 2007, Kevin Garnett was traded to the Boston Celtics for Al Jefferson, Ryan Gomes, Sebastian Telfair, Gerald Green, Theo Ratliff, cash considerations, Boston's 2009 first-round draft pick, and Minnesota's 2009 first-round pick. This 7-for-1 deal was the largest number of players ever traded for a single player in league history. Garnett signed a three-year, $60 million contract extension and threw out the first pitch at a Red Sox game on August 1.

2007: All-Star Game Interview

During the 2007 NBA All-Star Game, Kevin Garnett admitted in an interview that he was "6 ft 11 in and some quarters" tall.

2007: Trade Rumors

During the 2007 off-season, Glen Taylor entertained trade offers for Kevin Garnett, with potential destinations including the Bulls, Lakers, Warriors, Pacers, Celtics, Suns, and Mavericks. Garnett expressed a preference for joining the Lakers, Celtics, or Suns, and attempted to contact Kobe Bryant about joining the Lakers.

2007: NBA Defensive Player of the Year

In 2007, Kevin Garnett was named the NBA Defensive Player of the Year while playing for the Boston Celtics.

2007: Trade to the Celtics

In 2007, Kevin Garnett was traded to the Boston Celtics, where he helped lead them to the NBA Finals in 2008.

June 18, 2008: Late Show Appearance

On June 18, 2008, Kevin Garnett and Ray Allen appeared on the Late Show with David Letterman shortly after winning the NBA championship.

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October 31, 2008: Reaches 1,000 Career Games

On October 31, 2008, Kevin Garnett became the youngest player in NBA history to reach 1,000 career games, achieving this milestone at 32 years and 165 days old.

2008: NBA Championship with the Celtics

In 2008, Kevin Garnett helped lead the Boston Celtics to win the NBA Finals against the Los Angeles Lakers.

February 15, 2009: All-Star Game Selection

On February 15, 2009, Kevin Garnett earned his twelfth consecutive All-Star Game start.

February 19, 2009: Knee Injury

On February 19, 2009, Kevin Garnett injured his right knee during a game against the Utah Jazz while attempting an alley-oop, causing him to miss several games and eventually undergo surgery in May 2009.

May 2009: Knee Surgery

In May 2009, Kevin Garnett underwent knee surgery to repair an injury sustained during a game in February, causing him to miss the remainder of the season and the playoffs.

December 30, 2010: Knee Injury

On December 30, 2010, Kevin Garnett injured his right knee after attempting a dunk, causing him to miss two weeks of play.

2010: NBA Finals Appearance

In 2010, Kevin Garnett and the Celtics, after a regular season marked by injuries and inconsistency, reached the NBA Finals, defeating the Miami Heat, Cleveland Cavaliers, and Orlando Magic en route to facing the Los Angeles Lakers, ultimately losing in a decisive seventh game.

January 17, 2011: Return from Injury

On January 17, 2011, Kevin Garnett returned to the court after recovering from a knee injury, facing the Orlando Magic.

December 2011: Shareholder of A.S. Roma

In December 2011, Kevin Garnett became a limited shareholder of the American-owned Italian Serie A football team A.S. Roma.

2011: Lockout Shortened Season

During the lockout-shortened 2011-12 NBA season, Kevin Garnett and the Celtics had a slow start but finished strong, entering the playoffs as the fourth seed in the Eastern Conference.

June 30, 2012: Contract Extension with the Celtics

On June 30, 2012, Kevin Garnett agreed to a three-year contract extension with the Boston Celtics worth an estimated $34 million.

2012: Setting of Uncut Gems

The movie Uncut Gems, released in 2019, is set in 2012 and revolves around the Eastern Conference Semi-finals series between the Boston Celtics and Philadelphia 76ers. During the series, Garnett visits a jewelry store in New York City and becomes interested in an Ethiopian opal.

January 17, 2013: All-Star Game Selection

On January 17, 2013, Kevin Garnett was voted to start in the 2013 All-Star Game in Houston.

February 7, 2013: Reaches 25,000 Career Points

On February 7, 2013, Kevin Garnett recorded his 25,000th point in a 116–95 victory over the Los Angeles Lakers.

June 27, 2013: Traded to the Brooklyn Nets

On June 27, 2013, Kevin Garnett was traded to the Brooklyn Nets along with Paul Pierce and Jason Terry for future first-round picks and several players. The trade was completed on July 12.

December 13, 2013: Surpasses 14,000 Career Rebounds

On December 13, 2013, Kevin Garnett surpassed 14,000 career rebounds, becoming only the tenth player in NBA history to achieve this milestone. He also joined Kareem Abdul-Jabbar and Karl Malone as the only players to reach 25,000 points, 14,000 rebounds, and 5,000 assists.

2013: Trade to the Brooklyn Nets

In 2013, Kevin Garnett was traded to the Brooklyn Nets along with Paul Pierce.

November 1, 2014: Best Game for Nets

On November 1, 2014, Kevin Garnett had arguably his best game for the Nets, recording 18 points and 14 rebounds in a 102–90 win over the Detroit Pistons.

February 19, 2015: Traded Back to Minnesota

On February 19, 2015, Kevin Garnett agreed to waive his no-trade clause to be traded back to the Minnesota Timberwolves in exchange for Thaddeus Young.

July 11, 2015: Re-signs with Timberwolves

On July 11, 2015, Kevin Garnett re-signed with the Timberwolves to a two-year deal.

November 15, 2015: Reaches 50,000 Minutes Played

On November 15, 2015, Kevin Garnett became the fifth player in NBA history to play at least 50,000 minutes, joining Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Karl Malone, Jason Kidd, and Elvin Hayes.

2015: Trade back to Minnesota

In 2015, Kevin Garnett was traded back to the Minnesota Timberwolves.

September 2016: Retirement from professional basketball

In September 2016, Kevin Garnett announced his retirement from professional basketball, marking the end of his illustrious NBA career.

September 23, 2016: Retirement from the NBA

On September 23, 2016, Kevin Garnett announced his retirement from the NBA after playing for 21 seasons. He had considered playing one more season with the Timberwolves to mentor young players, but his knee condition made him unsure.

October 2016: Joins TNT's Inside the NBA

In October 2016, Kevin Garnett joined the crew on TNT's Inside the NBA.

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January 2017: Joins Los Angeles Clippers as consultant

In January 2017, Kevin Garnett joined the Los Angeles Clippers as a consultant, and also consulted with the Milwaukee Bucks during the 2016–17 season.

July 12, 2018: Divorce Filing by Brandi Padilla

On July 12, 2018, Kevin Garnett's wife, Brandi Padilla, filed for divorce, seeking custody of their children.

2019: Film Debut in "Uncut Gems"

In 2019, Kevin Garnett made his feature film debut, playing a fictionalized version of himself, in the film "Uncut Gems".

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2020: Induction into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame

In 2020, Kevin Garnett was inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame.

February 2021: Publication of autobiography

In February 2021, Simon & Schuster published Kevin Garnett's autobiography, "KG: A to Z: An Uncensored Encyclopedia of Life, Basketball, and Everything in Between", written with David Ritz.

August 20, 2021: Jersey Retirement Announcement

On August 20, 2021, the Celtics announced that they would retire Kevin Garnett's number 5 jersey on March 13, 2022, during a game against the Dallas Mavericks.

2021: Named to the NBA 75th Anniversary Team

In 2021, Kevin Garnett was named to the NBA 75th Anniversary Team.

2024: Garnett is one of five NBA players to have won MVP and Defensive Player of the Year.

In 2024, Kevin Garnett is recognized as one of only five NBA players to have received both the NBA Most Valuable Player Award and the NBA Defensive Player of the Year Award, highlighting his exceptional career achievements.