Kevin Garnett is a headliner of arguably the most epic Hall of Fame class ever.
Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame chairman Jerry Colangelo described it as such in January, the day after one of the greatest players in NBA history, Kobe Bryant, passed away in a tragic helicopter accident with his 13-year-old daughter Gianna and seven others.
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Garnett, the No. 5 overall pick in the 1995 NBA draft straight out of high school, was elected into the Hall of Fame along with Bryant and Tim Duncan on Saturday and is scheduled to be enshrined on Aug. 29. The induction class includes four-time National Coach of the Year Eddie Sutton, two-time NBA-champion coach Rudy Tomjanovich and 10-time WNBA All-Star and four-time Olympic gold medalist Tamika Catchings.
In 21 seasons, Garnett’s accomplishments were endless: 15 All-Star game appearances, nine first-team All-Defensive teams, an MVP award, a Defensive Player of the Year award and the elusive NBA championship with the 2008 Boston Celtics. For Garnett, joining Bryant, his close friend, in the Class of 2020 is the most fulfilling and emotional of all.
“The fact that we’re all being congratulated and honored, not having Kob’ is going to affect everybody,” Garnett told The Athletic. “He had such a pivotal part in the game itself, not just influence, but creation. I’d like to think that Kob’ created inadvertently an originality about himself. Timmy is the same thing. They both are unprecedented, not only athletes, but people. I feel more than honored to go in with these two, but Kobe not being there is going to be super emotional for everybody. The fact that the three of us actually pushed the other two into whether it was awards, All-Stars, battles, rings — we all three pushed the lines.
“To go in with these two guys, I couldn’t ask for two other people to go in with. And shout out to Tamika Catchings too. I’m a huge fan of Catch; Catch has put that grind in, she’s put that work in, and it’s dope to see all of us right here.”
Garnett spoke to The Athletic in a one-on-one to discuss his Hall of Fame election, his most notable stops in Minnesota and Boston, his revelation for the most difficult task ever in his basketball life, his deteriorated relationship with Timberwolves owner Glen Taylor, and much more.
To be going in with this vaunted class — with Kobe and Duncan — how special does that feel? It’s perhaps the most star-studded Hall of Fame ever.
The achievement itself is supremely over the top and the culmination of the things I’ve worked on, the countless hours you’ve put into a craft. It’s something special. The way I came in: Not going to college, taking a real bet on myself and betting on my work ethic and pushing myself night in and night out, being a professional and doing it the right way. Never taking shortcuts. Going hard as I can, you want to be able to look back on it and say that it was worth something.
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To meet Kobe early, we had a friendship and a real bond. To go up against Timmy and the countless battles, it’s just … I couldn’t put this story, with all the minor details … I couldn’t make this story more compelling than it already is. This is the perfect way to end a dope story.
You had a rivalry with Tim throughout your career, mostly because of the beast that was the Western Conference and the power forwards across the conference, including him, Rasheed Wallace and Chris Webber. How ironic is it now that you and Tim are going in together?
Yeah, man. In the sense of having a career, you never know how long it’s going to go. You don’t even know if you’re even going to have one. So to have one, and be pretty good at it and you can look back at accolades and won some things and most importantly, left your print on the game … Timmy, for me, him and Rasheed were always the pinnacle. They were always the more tougher matchup for me personally. Lot of times going into matchups, I had a lot of upside when I came in. I can say that these two were one of the difficult ones for me.
I always think if you’re going to be something in life, you’re going to have that one nemesis or that one or two nemesis that are going too push you to another level. I consider Timmy and Rasheed to be that for me. It’s dope for us to be ending our careers at the same time. It’s all dope to be at this point … to battle, battle, battle and then finish it together.
Starting off in Minnesota, you guys went to the West Finals in 2004 — looking back, how much do you wish that group got a championship, especially if Sam Cassell didn’t get hurt in the playoffs?
I don’t play should’ve, could’ve, would’ve. I don’t play if I would’ve said something to her, I could’ve got her. I don’t play if I didn’t go out that night, this wouldn’t happen. I don’t play should’ve, could’ve, would’ve’s. It would drive me crazy. I would sit here and be in a depressed stage.
If I could actually go back and change anything, I would’ve left Minnesota a little earlier, knowing that the management wasn’t as committed as I was. Or wasn’t committed at all. I probably would’ve went to Boston or changed the situation earlier. I would’ve been a little younger and that means less wear and tear on the body. Teaming up with Paul (Pierce), I should’ve done that earlier. Who knows — I’m probably sitting here with another ring or two. But, yeah.
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My days in Minnesota were great days, bro. It was a huge part of my progression. Flip Saunders and Kevin McHale were huge parts of my progression as a player. I had to put the work in and put it all together, but having those influences around me, having Kevin McHale as a great teacher all those years and pushing me and giving me the lay of the land … and me having a crazy ass appetite and imagination of what I want to be in the league … I’m very grateful for those days. Those are the days that actually made me to the man that I became and took to Boston.
Those days in Minnesota were basically like R&D (research and development). I’ll never forget them.
You played the point guard position out of nowhere a lot in those Conference Finals in 2004 against the Lakers, because of Cassell’s injury. At almost 7 feet tall, how did that feel?
From the fan’s perspective, sitting there watching it, it’s dope. But from having to sit there, be in it and have to play, it was the fucking worst. I grew a crazy amount (of respect) — I already had a crazy amount of respect for all of the positions in sports, period — but the point guard position might be the hardest from a consolidation aspect. You don’t understand. The quarterback has to lead everybody, he has to get everybody the plays and make sure everybody is in the right places. Then you got to get to your spots while somebody is hounding you. It was just too much. Not that I couldn’t do anything on the court, but man, as far as preference I would have never played it. Ever.
I was so fucking hot when Flip told me I had to play point guard. It ain’t too much shit I’ve been pissed about when it came to basketball. I was pissed about that. Like, ahh. I gotta bring the ball up, pass it, give it to myself, and da da. It was just a lot, but it was something that pushed me. I’ll never forget that, playing point guard.
You may have trended on social media for a full day if you played point guard for most of a game in today’s game.
(Laughs). Ain’t that right!
A lot of people didn’t know: I had a one-on-one that I never really got to show. Face-ups, like ahh, ahh, ahh, ahh, ahh. I had a bit of handle that’ll get me from A to B, and I was … man. People that play the game know that one-dribble, two-dribble pull-ups are very difficult moves to do at 6-11 and do at tall statures. Those moves are built for more smaller, athletic guys. The step-backs, the crossovers, all of that. I had a one-on-one game that I never really got to display other than when I played in the summer or when I played on Team USA. But for the most part, I’ve always wanted to be a team guy and be within the team. People may be so shocked to see my one-on-one stuff, but my own personal crew know that I had other parts that I never displayed during the year.
The Celtics announced in February that they will retire your No. 5 jersey during the 2020-21 season — but your jersey still isn’t hanging in the rafters in Minnesota. How soon will we see that take place and where do you stand on it?
(When Garnett returned to Minnesota in 2015, a move brokered by Saunders, he had discussed his desire to one day join the ownership group succeeding Taylor and/or being a key decision-maker in the franchise. When Saunders passed away, Taylor charted a course forward and hired Tom Thibodeau to take over the franchise, which Garnett felt was going back on the plans he and Saunders had discussed. League rules prevented Taylor from having ownership discussions with Garnett while he was a player.)
Glen knows where I’m at, I’m not entertaining it. First of all, it’s not genuine. Two, he’s getting pressure from a lot of fans and, I guess, the community there. Glen and I had an understanding before Flip died, and when Flip died, that understanding went with Flip. For that, I won’t forgive Glen. I won’t forgive him for that. I thought he was a straight up person, straight up business man, and when Flip died, everything went with him.
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There’s no reason to complain. Just continue to move on. My years in Minnesota and in that community, I cherish. At this point, I don’t want any dealings with Glen Taylor or Taylor Corp. or anything that has to do with him. I love my Timberwolves, I’ll always love my guys, I’ll always love the people who fuck with me there. I’ll always have a special place for the city of Minneapolis and the state of Minnesota in my heart. But I don’t do business with snakes. I don’t do business with snake mu’fuckas. I try not to do business with openly snakes or people who are snake-like.
How much gratitude is there for you with your Celtics teammates and former personnel?
Super appreciative of them. Danny Ainge, the ownership there, Wyc (Grousbeck) and Pags (Steve Pagliuca), Doc Rivers. Celtic nation, man. Anybody who understands the Celtics culture, it’s a nurturing culture, it’s a real fraternity, and it supports each other. To be part of it is something special. I’m glad I’m part of it, and I’m glad I was able to experience the better way of the NBA and seeing how winning franchises really do things. That left a huge, huge impression on me that I’ll take to my grave. I’ll be forever appreciative to the city of Boston, the ownership and everything Celtic nation. I’m honored.
(Photo: David Sherman / NBAE via Getty Images)
