The Wolf King Returns! Garnett Rejoins the Timberwolves; No. 21 Jersey Retirement Ceremony to be Held in Minnesota

On December 18th Beijing time, according to renowned reporter Shams, ESPN sources revealed that Hall of Famer Kevin Garnett will return to the Minnesota Timberwolves and Minnesota Lynx in a new comprehensive role, overseeing business operations, community outreach, and content creation. Fans eagerly awaiting the Timberwolves’ retirement of the No. 21 jersey will see the ceremony take place locally in Minnesota.

After retiring in 2016, Garnett grew distant from the Timberwolves’ management due to conflicts with team owner Glen Taylor, even refusing for a time to have his jersey retired by the team. However, he developed a positive working relationship with the new owners Mark Lore and Alex Rodriguez, leading to a mutual agreement that paved the way for his return to the Timberwolves organization.

Garnett’s career began with the Timberwolves, who selected him fifth overall in the first round of the 1995 NBA Draft. Over a 21-year career, he spent 14 seasons with Minnesota, playing 970 games and averaging 19.8 points, 11 rebounds, 4.3 assists, 1.4 steals, and 1.6 blocks per game.

A 15-time NBA All-Star, Garnett holds the Timberwolves’ franchise records for points, rebounds, assists, steals, and blocks. He is also the only player in NBA history to lead a single team in all five categories. Additionally, he is the only Timberwolves player to win the regular season MVP award (2003-04 season).

From the 1996-97 season through the 2003-04 season, Garnett led the team to eight consecutive playoff appearances. The 2003-04 season remains the only time in franchise history before 2024 that the Timberwolves won a playoff series, prior to their run to the Western Conference Finals that year.
In 2021, Lore and Rodriguez reached an agreement to acquire the Timberwolves valued at $1.5 billion. In the following months, they prioritized strengthening team culture and repairing relationships with franchise legends and longtime staff, centering on the iconic Kevin Garnett.

Under their leadership, the Timberwolves have invested heavily across the organization, including building a management team led by basketball operations president Tim Connelly, paying luxury tax for the third consecutive season, and advancing plans to construct a new arena in downtown Minneapolis over the next decade.

Currently, the Timberwolves hold a 17-10 record, ranking sixth in the Western Conference. After reaching the Western Conference Finals twice in a row, the team is fully focused on securing a playoff spot this season.