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USA Today Sports Media Group
USA Today Sports Media Group
Sport
Justin Quinn

Boston Celtics legend Kevin Garnett’s five greatest career moments

Slated to be inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame this Saturday along with some of the greatest players, coaches, and media members from his era, champion Boston Celtics big man Kevin Garnett is about to be immortalized in basketball Valhalla.

And while he reached the peak of his powers as a Celtic, with 21 seasons in the league, there have been a host of big moments we should all celebrate as fans of the game. To that end, we compiled No. 5’s five biggest career moments — two of which were achieved with Boston — for all of us to wax nostalgic over.

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Check out the list below as we honor the Big Ticket with the greatest honor of the sport he dedicated his life to.

Making the leap from prep to pro

Kevin Garnett, Farragut High, Chicago, IL. Mandatory Credit: Anne Ryan – USA TODAY Network

Plenty of people didn’t think the wiry kid from Chicago was going to cut it in the NBA after making the leap directly from high school — and they couldn’t have been more wrong. He’d make All-Rookie Second Team and continued filling his trophy case from there at a rapid clip.

Olympic gold in 2000

USA’s Vince Carter, left, and Kevin Garnett show off their gold medals during the awards ceremony for men’s basketball at the 2000 Summer Olympic Games in Sydney, Sunday, Oct. 1, 2000. The United States defeated France 85-75 to capture the gold. (AP Photo/Roberto Borea)

The Big Ticket only played for the U.S. National Team once, but he made it count. He would win gold with Team USA in the 2000 Summer Olympics held in Sydney, Australia while averaging 10.8 points, 9.1 rebounds, and 2.1 assists per game.

Defensive Player of the Year

Boston Celtics forward Kevin Garnett holds up the NBA Defensive Player of the Year award prior to Game 2 of the NBA first-round playoff basketball series against the Atlanta Hawks in Boston, Wednesday, April 23, 2008. The Celtics won 96-77 and led the series 2-0. (AP Photo/Charles Krupa)

KG would win the NBA’s Defensive Player of the Year award in his first season with the Celtics (2007-08), demonstrating the peak of his powers on that end of the ball on his way to an even greater honor among the many he earned in his 21 seasons in the league.

Most Valuable Player

Minnesota Timberwolves owner Glen Taylor, right, presents Timberwolves forward Kevin Garnett, left, with the Maurice Podoloff Trophy after Garnett was named the NBA Most Valuable Player in Minneapolis, Monday, May 3, 2004. Garnett received 120 of 123 first-place votes, easily beating two-time winner Tim Duncan and Jermaine O’Neal. (AP Photo/Ann Heisenfelt)

Before KG became a Boston Celtic, he made his bones trying to drag a perennially under-manned Minnesota Timberwolves to the postseason to make some noise. And in the season he finally managed to do that as the T-Wolves made the Western Conference Finals, he was honored as league MVP.

Winning the 2008 NBA championship

Boston Celtics forward Kevin Garnett kisses the Boston Celtics logo as he celebrates the Celtics 131-92 win over the Los Angeles Lakers to win the NBA basketball Championship in Boston, Tuesday, June 17, 2008. (AP Photo/Charles Krupa)

In what would not only prove to be the apex of his Hall of Fame career but also his most iconic moment, Garnett reminded us of the importance of never, ever giving up on yourself or your peers. Moments after helping hang Banner 17 for Boston, he shouted out for all the world to hear those famous words, “Anything is possible!”

Listen to the “Celtics Lab” podcast on:

Apple Podcasts: https://apple.co/3zBKQY6

Spotify: https://spoti.fi/3GfUPFi

YouTube: https://bit.ly/3F9DvjQ

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