Kevin Garnett 's presence in the Minnesota Timberwolves team was felt immediately since his rookie year. Whether averaging points in double digits, registering his first All-Star nod in his sophomore year, or leading the franchise to the playoffs in eight consecutive years, his impact was stellar. However, despite his best efforts, the Wolves merely appeared in the conference finals once.
'The Big Ticket' has never shied away from expressing his admiration for the organization or city. Yet, he once admitted that his only regret in his two-decade-long NBA career was to not leave Minnesota to join the Boston Celtics earlier than he did.
Garnett's only 'regret' in his career
KG's initial 12-season stint in Minnesota was undeniably illustrious, as he logged 10 All-Star nods, 8 All-NBA Team honors, and 6 All-Defensive First Team selections. After he won his lone MVP award in 2004 and led the team into the WCFs, Garnett continued to show his mettle in the next three seasons, averaging 22.1 points and 13 rebounds per game - leading the league in rebounding in each. Nonetheless, the Timberwolves failed every season to clinch a palace in the postseason.
This discrepancy between individual excellence and team success became frustrating for the 6'11" forward. Consequently, he decided to join the Boston Celtics in 2007, pairing up with Paul Pierce. And in their very first season together, Garnett led Boston to a championship after leading the rebounding and blocks charts in the championship round.
In the subsequent five seasons, KG and Pierce's tandem led the Celtics to the playoffs each season, including an appearance in the NBA Finals and the Eastern Conference Finals. Notably, during this phase, the former DPOY was no longer expected to carry the scoring load; he just fulfilled his part of the bargain: to provide solid rim protection on both ends of the floor.
In the wake of such success, many contemplated the hypothetical scenario of Garnett joining the Celtics much earlier. Delving on these matters himself, the 15-time All-Star admitted that his sole regret was not aligning himself with the Celtics before 2007.
"The fan base in Boston was over the top. People following you home, people standing outside your gate when you get home, people wanting to pump your gas," Garnett said . "The fan level in Boston was just another level, but I learned to embrace it. My only regret in any of this is that I should have came to Boston a little earlier, other than that it was magical."
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Garnett would have been an even bigger star
Consider the 2001-2002 season - the 2004 MVP averaged 21.2 points and 12.1 rebounds. Eventually, his Timberwolves suffered a first-round sweep at the hands of the Dallas Mavericks. Concurrently, Boston advanced to the Eastern Conference Finals.
The hypothetical scenario of Garnett's more athletic play style replacing Antoine Walker's role could have potentially tipped the scales in Boston's favor against the New Jersey Nets, particularly given Jason Kidd's series-leading 11.2 rebounds per game.
Even though numerous scenarios could now be entertained, the truth remains that not joining Boston before 2007 remains the biggest 'what if' of KG's career, and he, too, knows it.
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