The Minnesota Timberwolves will retire Kevin Garnett’s iconic No. 21 jersey on February 28, honouring the Hall of Famer who became the defining player in franchise history.
Garnett’s number will be raised to the rafters at Target Center following Minnesota’s game against the Boston Celtics, the team with which he later won an NBA championship.
The Timberwolves selected Garnett directly out of high school with the fifth overall pick in the 1995 NBA Draft. He went on to become the franchise’s all-time leader in points (19,201), rebounds (10,718), assists (4,216), steals (1,315), blocks (1,590) and games played (970). He is the only NBA player to lead a franchise in all six categories.
“Over the course of his career, Kevin Garnett became much more than the greatest player in Timberwolves history. He became the embodiment of what it means to compete, to lead and to represent Minnesota,” owners Marc Lore and Alex Rodriguez said in a statement.
“Bringing Kevin back to the organisation as Team Ambassador has allowed us to celebrate his legacy in a new and meaningful way, and retiring No. 21 is the ultimate recognition of everything he has meant to this franchise and our fans. We are thrilled to celebrate this incredible moment with Kevin, his family, our fans and everyone who helped make his legacy possible.”
The honour follows years of distance between Garnett and the Timberwolves, with his relationship with the franchise becoming strained partly over former owner Glen Taylor’s refusal to retire his jersey. Garnett returned to the organisation as a team ambassador in December.
“Minnesota is home. That’s never changed. This is where it all started for me, so seeing No. 21 go up in Target Center and sharing that moment with the fans, my family, teammates, coaches, and everyone who’s been part of this journey means everything,” Garnett said.
“But I don’t see this as the end — I see it as a new beginning. Retiring the jersey is just the start of the next chapter in Minnesota, about building something that lives beyond the game.
“… But 21 being retired is forever — and it’s also just the beginning of something new. I can’t wait to be back in that building, feel that energy, and celebrate it with everybody. Let’s get it.”
Garnett won the NBA MVP award in 2003-04 and led Minnesota to eight consecutive postseason appearances. After leaving following the 2006-07 season, he won the 2008 NBA championship with Boston.
He returned to Minnesota in 2015 and retired in 2016 before entering the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame in 2020. Garnett will become the second Timberwolves player to have his number retired, joining Malik Sealy, whose No. 2 was retired after his death in 2000.
