|
Kevin Garnett
| Biography |
Kevin first started at Mauldin High School in Mauldin, South Carolina staying there for three years. In 1994 as a junior Kevin Garnett earned himself the honor of being named Mr. Basketball of the state of Illinois. That was just the being of his award collection. As a senior Kevin Garnett was named National Player of the Year by USA Today Magazine and was selected by the Parade Magazine to be apart of the All-American First Team after leading Farragut to a 28-2 season record, and on spot in the Class AA state quaterfinals. The up coming star was named Mr. Basketball for the State of Illinois after averaging 25.2 points, 17.9 rebounds, 6.7 assists and 6.5 blocks while shooting .666 from the field. Kevin Garnett played four years of high school basketball building up a grand total of 2,533 points, 1,807 rebounds and 739 blocked shots throughout his four years of high school. Mr. Basketball wasn't the only honor he was named to the future star was also named the Most Outstanding Player at the McDonald's All-America Game. Garnett’s surge to stardom began in 1995 when he was drafted by the Timberwolves directly out of Farragut Academy High School (Chicago) with the fifth overall choice in the 1995 NBA Draft. Although an increasing number of players, including LeBron James in 2003, have made the jump from high school to the NBA, K.G. set the table for them when he became the first player in more than 20 years to be drafted directly out of high school.
His pro career was an immediate success as he was named to the 1995-96 NBA All-Rookie Second Team. He broke the Timberwolves’ team record for blocked shots in a season, finishing with 131 rejections in his rookie year. Garnett’s improvement continued into his second NBA season (1996-97) as he participated in his first NBA All-Star Game. That same year he led the Timberwolves to their first-ever appearance in the NBA Playoffs. By 1997-98, Garnett was getting into his familiar routine of doing everything on the court: scoring, rebounding, passing and defending. It was only a matter of time before he would get his first triple-double and on Jan. 3, 1998, 19,006 fans at the Target Center saw him get it with a 18-point, 13-rebound, 10-assist performance in a 109-87 win vs. Denver. The next few years were highlighted by similar outings by Garnett but he was doing more than putting strong numbers on the board each night. His fiery style and enthusiasm served as powerful inspiration for his teammates and with increased maturity, he took on more of a leadership role. Garnett earned MVP honors at the 2003 NBA All-Star Game in Atlanta with 37 points, nine rebounds, five steals and three assists. Honors after the season included selections to the All-NBA First Team (his fifth overall All-NBA selection), NBA All-Defensive First Team and second-place finishes in voting for NBA Most Valuable Player and NBA Defensive Player of the Year. Clearly, K.G. has become the driving force behind Minnesota’s rise to success. The year before he arrived in the Twin Cities, the team had a 21-61 record. Since then, the team has steadily improved. Although a successful postseason eluded the Timberwolves for years, Garnett & Co. discovered a winning formula in 2004. Garnett has grown from being the “Da Kid” to now being the “The Big Ticket.” He and the Timberwolves have room to grow even more powerful, perhaps into a perennial NBA champion. |
|
|
|
|
