Right now, the Minnesota Timberwolves' most important player is Anthony Edwards. Prior to him, a certain Kevin Garnett was the reason the franchise was thrust into the spotlight.
They selected the latter straight out of high school with the fifth pick in the 1995 draft. As a teenager, he initially came off the bench, but soon established himself as a surefire starter.
After 13 seasons, the South Carolina native was unable to get a chance to fight for the NBA title, which is what prompted him to leave the Timberwolves for the Boston Celtics.
A ring and a stop at the Brooklyn Nets later, he eventually returned to the franchise that drafted him. When he finished his career with the Timberwolves, many expected Kevin Garnett to become an advisor of sorts.
However, he distances himself due to his long-standing feud with the then-owner, Glen Taylor. Only after businessman Marc Lore and baseball legend Alex Rodriguez took over did the 6'11' forward rekindle his relationship with the franchise.
He agreed to become an ambassador for both the Timberwolves and their sister franchise, the Minnesota Lynx. Earlier, when the organization prepared for its final regular-season game, it ensured the franchise's greatest ever player was with it.
Garnett returned to Target Center with his two daughters in tow. A while later, Anthony Edwards noticed the 2008 NBA champion and walked down the baseline.
As the two met, they embraced each other tightly, which saw Minnesota fans stand up and cheer loudly. The two exchanged some jokes and pleasantries, forcing the officials to stop the game, as the two had inadvertently veered onto the court.
This exchange between superstars of the past and present was not the first time Kevin Garnett received a standing ovation from the Minnesota Timberwolves' faithful.
Before the game started, the franchise had announced through its platforms about the return of the prodigal son. That explains why Target Center was overbooked, with 18,978 fans in attendance, despite the arena having a seating limit of 18,798.
When Kevin Garnett appeared from the tunnel with owners Marc Lore and Alex Rodriguez on either side, they cheered loudly. Then, his two daughters accompanied him to their designated courtside seats.
Even after he sat down, the cheers did not stop. Every time the forward looked up at the Jumbotron, he noticed they were still broadcasting him.
Then, when the stadium announcer called out his name, he noticed that every fan inside Target Center was still standing up to continue their cheers for the team's greatest superstar.
It is unclear how the 49-year-old's role as ambassador will help the Timberwolves. But if he can help the players, just like he did with the Milwaukee Bucks at Doc Rivers' behest, he could steer them toward a championship.
Now that Kevin Garnett is back at Target Center, Anthony Edwards and his teammates might as well ask for his input right away. They are about to face the best center in the league again.
They have experienced winning against Nikola Jokic and the Denver Nuggets in the 2024 Conference Semifinals. That was their revenge for losing 1-4 to the Nuggets in the previous year's first round.
This time, though, the Colorado-based team is playing differently, and their leading superstar has elevated his game. Sure, they still depend on the Serbian for almost all of their offensive output.
But the team's construction is different from the times the Wolves faced them in the playoffs. If Garnett can analyze and give them tips on how to somehow contain Jokic, the first round should be a cakewalk for Anthony Edwards and his teammates.
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