Kevin Garnett is set to return to the Minnesota Timberwolves in a non-playing role focused on business, community outreach, fan engagement, and content creation, as reported by ESPN. The Timberwolves’ new ownership group, which includes MLB legend Alex Rodriguez and former Walmart CEO Marc Rohr, intends to retire Garnett’s No. 21 jersey within the next two seasons. Garnett will also take on a similar role with the WNBA’s Minnesota Lynx.
This development marks an important step in mending the relationship between Garnett and the Timberwolves organization after their ties were strained following his retirement in 2016. Initially, there were talks about Garnett becoming a minority owner after retiring, but this was complicated by former Timberwolves GM Flip Saunders’s passing and subsequent contract termination by the University of Minnesota. Garnett conveyed in 2020 that he had not negotiated with the University regarding retiring his jersey due to unresolved issues with the previous ownership, famously stating, “we don’t do business with snakes.” Meanwhile, the Boston Celtics plan to retire Garnett’s No. 5 jersey in March 2022.
Garnett won his only NBA championship with the Celtics but was a foundational figure for the Timberwolves franchise. Drafted fifth overall in 1995, six years after the team’s inception, he made a significant impact during his 13 years in Minnesota. Garnett was a 10-time NBA All-Star, made the All-NBA First Team three times, led the league in rebounding four times, averaged 24.2 points and 13.9 rebounds per game, and was named the NBA MVP in 2004. Under his leadership, the Timberwolves made eight consecutive playoff appearances from 1997 to 2004, a milestone the franchise had never achieved before.
Garnett returned to play for the Timberwolves once more during the 2015-2016 season.
Fan Take: Kevin Garnett’s return symbolizes a homecoming that rekindles the old glory days of Timberwolves basketball and bridges past conflicts. For fans and the sport, it represents the power of legacy and community, showing how a player’s influence can extend far beyond the court into shaping a team’s culture and future.
