KG retirement and looking back at a HOF career thread

[Monster]

There is some good stuff out there about KG and it's time for a thread dedicated to his retirement and his career. Here is a really good read from Jimmy Jam.

http://theundefeated.com/features/kevin-garnett-jimmy-jam/

[TAFKASP]

I can think of no other player in any sport where my opinion of the person has swung a widely nor as often as with KG. Most of the time I loved watching play, so much passion! Other times he goes gangster and I'm completely repulsed. As a person I have great respect for his loyalty, yet that is all too often offset by his petulant behaviour.

I guess in the end he's just imperfect like all of us, I'm glad he represented out team and I had the opportunity to watch him at his HOF best! Thanks for the memories, all of them!

[Monster]

As the preseason game in Lincoln approaches I am reminded of the one time I saw KG in person. It was 1997 in Minot ND and a few of us made the trip. We for some reason got there late and nobody was at the door so we just walked in without tickets or anything. It was against the Cavs and Shawn Kemp was playing for them at the time so that was kinda fun too. Afterward the other guys wanted to wait outside to see the players. They fied by going to the bus some giving out high fives etc. I just remembering realizing just how tall KG was as he walked past I think I touched his arm or something it was almost 20 years ago so I don't remember that clearly. Lol It seems kinda weird now how that whole night played out. There is no way now you could go to a professional event with so little security and all that.

[KiwiMatt]

KGs the reason I became a Wolves fan. His passion at the Sydney Olympics won me over. I'm happy he retired a Wolf.

[AbeVigodaLive]

For some reason, I'll remember this...

"It was more like KG tanked it. I think the other guys still wanted to play. But it sure changed the team and didn't make us [as good]."

- Glen Taylor (referring to Garnett's absence for the final games in the 2007 season)

Remember, this was AFTER the Mark Madsen game... where the ridiculously poor shooting defensive specialist took 7 three pointers in the 4th quarter and OT in the final game of the '06 season in an obvious attempt to lose the game and gain a ping pong ball. The Wolves used that extra ping pong ball to trade draft picks and put a couple million dollars in Taylor's pocket.

One of the most ridiculous quotes I've heard from an executive/owner in NBA history. Arguably the lowest moment among many many low moments in Timberwolves history. Shameful.

[Coolbreeze44]

1) Drafted
2) Liked Him
3) Loved Him
4) Disliked Him
5) Hated Him
6) Tolerated Him
7) Retired

[Porckchop]

Only Minnesota athlete and one of a select few in all of sports that didn't crumble under the pressures of his big contract . Brought it every night individually and made players around him better from a position that's difficult to do so. Loyal, fierce, leadership and durable (thru his first 15 years) everything you'd want in your teams best player . No one earns 300 million but I never felt short changed when he walked off the court .
There have been great players that were apart of better teams in Minny but I believe him to be the best individual athlete to ever suit up in our state.
He was everything the Twins needed Joe to be .

[longstrangetrip [enjin:6600564]]

Love both posts directly above from Cool and Pork. I guess it shows what a dynamic but mercurial guy and player KG was, because I agree with both posts!

[longstrangetrip [enjin:6600564]]

There is some good stuff out there about KG and it's time for a thread dedicated to his retirement and his career. Here is a really good read from Jimmy Jam.

http://theundefeated.com/features/kevin-garnett-jimmy-jam/

Thx for that, monster...enjoyed it a lot.

Anyone who knows or has even just met Jimmy Jam Harris knows he is one of the nicest guys to ever walk this planet...unable to ever make a negative comment about anyone, and doesn't have an enemy in the world. But he sees that world through rose-colored glasses, and what he leaves out of this story is significant. Yes, he did introduce KG to Brandi, but more importantly, he talked he out of leavng the marriage many times when KG misbehaved over and over again...and it's good he did too, because from an outsider's perspective, the marriage seems pretty good now by NBA standards (and KG appears to be a dutiful father). I also smiled at Jam's implication that it was KG's (and his friends') decision whether he played this year or not. It clearly was not. Thibs wanted nothing to do with having him on the roster, and I don't think Glen did either. Rubes like me bought into the "KG mentor" bit last season, and it was indeed valid for the first 20 games of the season. And the team (players and management) kept the bit alive, so that guys like me bought into it (some of you were more perceptive than me, and mocked it). But now it's becoming clear that KG was a cancer on the team well before Sam got fired (although that exacerbated his bad attitude) and there was no way he was ever going to be back this season.

But it looks like it is going to turn out just fine, and I say hats off to the Timberwolves (and KG, to some extent) and to surrogates like Harris who are going to continue to paint a rosy picture of the KG relationship. KG will get his retirement night (and rubes like me will get emotional and give him a standing ovation like nothing bad ever happened) and the parting will seem amicable to the outside world. And that's the best thing that can happen right now.

Drama over...let's get on with this 55-win season!

[Lipoli390]

Only Minnesota athlete and one of a select few in all of sports that didn't crumble under the pressures of his big contract . Brought it every night individually and made players around him better from a position that's difficult to do so. Loyal, fierce, leadership and durable (thru his first 15 years) everything you'd want in your teams best player . No one earns 300 million but I never felt short changed when he walked off the court .
There have been great players that were apart of better teams in Minny but I believe him to be the best individual athlete to ever suit up in our state.
He was everything the Twins needed Joe to be .

Kirby didn't crumble. The difference is that Puckett didn't have as big a contract, agreeing instead to a home town discount. He and KG are clearly the two best professional players in MN history. I don't see one as better than the other. Puckett's health cut his career a bit short.