Per The Athletic and Stadium’s Shams Charania, the Boston Celtics will retire former NBA forward-center Kevin Garnett’s jersey in the 2020-21 season. Garnett, who wore No. 5 throughout his tenure with the Celtics, played for Boston from the 2007-08 season to 2012-13.
The fifth overall pick in the 1995 NBA Draft, Garnett has earned many accolades throughout his career, including 15 All-Star selections, 12 All-Defensive Team selections, nine All-NBA selections, Most Valuable Player (2003-04) and Defensive Player of the Year (2007-08). He won a NBA championship with the Celtics in the 2007-08 season playing beside the likes of Paul Pierce, Rajon Rondo and Ray Allen.
It was Garnett’s first season with Boston after being traded by the Minnesota Timberwolves in July 2007.
The Boston Celtics will retire Kevin Garnett’s No. 5 jersey next season.
— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) February 14, 2020
Known as won of the most passionate and competitive players in the league, Garnett made his claim to fame with the Timberwolves while showing off his skill, positional versatility and what was downright dominant offense.
His leadership with the Celtics — an intangible that he would be known for throughout his career — was praised by Celtics head coach Brad Stevens on Thursday in light of the South Carolina native being nominated to the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame.
Stevens on KG, about to be nominated for Hall of Fame: "He had huge impact on everybody left over on my staff because he was so good to all those coaches, and all the players left over as well that played with him. They always pointed to him as the best leader they’d been around.
— Mark Murphy (@Murf56) February 14, 2020
“He had huge impact on everybody left over on my staff because he was so good to all those coaches, and all the players left over as well that played with him. They always pointed to him as the best leader they’d been around.”
Garnett, though not a lifelong Celtics player like many of the former players whose jersey hangs from the rafters of TD Garden, will always be a part of the team lore.
With a surprise video, the Celtics announced they will retire Kevin Garnett’s No. 5 jersey next season. pic.twitter.com/vqpJwrAbXs
— Nicole Yang (@nicolecyang) February 14, 2020
Boston deciding to honor him by retiring his jersey number is a well-deserved honor, as there’s no way the Celtics could have won their championship in 2008 without him.
“I’m honored and thankful to have my number retired with the Celtics,” said Garnett in a press release. “I will always have immense respect and appreciation for ownership, Danny Ainge, Doc Rivers, my past teammates and Celtic Nation!”