Goodbye, KG

To this day I remember the 1995 NBA Draft. Minnesota had the 5th pick of the night, and when their turn rolled around there were a number of good players on the board. Dominant Oklahoma State big man Bryant Reeves was there, as was star Arizona point guard Damon Stoudamire. At the time drafting a player straight out of high school was unheard of, so when David Stern took the microphone and announced that McHale and friends had selected Kevin Garnett of Farragut Academy High School, I was shocked, I was speechless.

As the 7 foot, rail thin man-child strolled to the stage, his long gait, long arms and gaunt face looking underdeveloped, almost frail, I remember thinking to myself “the NBA’s gonna eat this kid alive.” McHale’s tenure with the team had just begun, and already he had assured his own demise. Or so I thought.

What we all know now that I didn’t know then is that Kevin Garnett was a godsend. In the years since, McHale has proven himself truly incompetent, incapable of running a basketball team. But this adolescent, known then only as Da Kid, was the luckiest thing that ever happened to him.

As KG matured into The Big Ticket and eventually The Franchise, he became the face of Minnesota sports. He became our bragging rights. He evolved into a new breed of player, able to do it all: shoot, pass, rebound, defend. He established himself as one of the top 25 players of all time. He was a leader on and off the court. He demanded the respect of players, coaches and fans alike. He was, and still is, one of few saving graces for the NBA.

But that’s not why I’m sad to see him go. I’ll miss Kevin Garnett because in a sports world plagued by dishonesty, immaturity and selfishness, KG was a class act. He was a man of integrity, honor, commitment. He was a warrior that battled night in and night out to win. Even when upper management failed, time and again, to provide him with supporting players, Kevin Garnett held his head high and did everything a man can be expected to do when asked to carry the hopes of millions on his shoulders.

Kevin Garnett never brought us shame. He never embarrassed us. He was never arrested for drug possession or assault. He stood up for his teammates when they needed support, but he never instigated a bench clearing brawl. He was never accused of cheating, never accused of betting on games, never accused of rape. When even Kirby Puckett let us down, Kevin Garnett became our hero.

And he was loyal to a fault. He loved Minnesota, he loved the Twin Cities and he loved the fans, even when we failed to show him the love in return. I wish Kevin Garnett nothing but the best. I hope he gets his ring in Boston. I hope they become a dynasty. I hope he shows Glen Taylor and Kevin McHale what could have been. He has every right to be angry at an organization that was dishonest and disloyal, but I hope he realizes that he will be missed.

Thanks for reading.