Former NBA player Kevin Garnett has left an unforgettable impact on NBA and is regarded as one of the finest power forwards of all time.
Nicknamed the “Big Ticket” for his thunderous dunking and agility, Garnett is famed for his energy, defensive abilities, and flexibility. He was one of a kind and a perfect combination of speed, athleticism, and versatility.
The NBA legend never went to college. In fact, he was directly selected in the NBA draft after high school. Minnesota Timberwolves selected him as the 5th overall pick in the first round, and the rest is history.
Garnett has a long list of awards and achievements. He set several records in NBA. Kevin’s name shone beyond NBA as he won a gold medal for the USA team in the 2020 Olympics.
After stellar 21 years of NBA career, Kevin retired as a player but joined as a sports analyst to stay connected to the NBA.
This article covers the beautiful journey of NBA legend Kevin Garnett and his personal and professional life. But, before that, let’s take a look at his quick facts first.
Kevin Garnett Quick Facts
| Full Name | Kevin Maurice Garnett |
| Name | Kevin Garnett |
| Nickname | Big-ticket, KG |
| Date of Birth | May 19, 1976 |
| Age | 46 years old |
| Birth Place | Greenville, South Carolina |
| Nationality | American |
| Ethnicity | Black |
| Zodiac Sign | Taurus |
| Height | 6’11” (2.11 m) |
| Weight | 240 lb (109 kg) |
| Hair Color | Black |
| Eye Color | Black |
| Father’s Name | O’Lewis McCullough |
| Mother’s Name | Shirley Garnett |
| Siblings | Two sisters and one brother; Sonya Garnett, Ashley Garnett, and Louis McCullough. |
| High School |
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| Marital Status | Divorced |
| Ex-Wife | Brandi Padilla |
| Marriage Year | 2004 |
| Children | Two: Kapri Garnett and Kavalli Garnett |
| Profession | Former NBA Player |
| Position | Power forward / Center |
| Leagues | National Basketball Association (NBA) |
| NBA Draft | Fifth overall pick in the first round of the 1995 NBA draft by the Minnesota Timberwolves |
| Debut Year | 1995 |
| Retirement | 2016 |
| Playing Teams |
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| International Award |
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| Awards and Achievements |
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| Net Worth | $120 million |
| Social Media | Instagram, Twitter |
| Merch | Basketball Trading Card |
| Last Update | July 2022 |
Kevin Garnett: A Look Back
The forward’s birthplace was Greenville, South Carolina, on May 19, 1976. Shirley Garnett and O’Lewis McCullough welcomed him into the world (mother).
Sadly, his parents never wed because they split shortly after Kevin was born. The footballer had a tense connection with his stepfather Ernest Irby, who reared him together with his mother.
Shirley had a second kid, Kevin. Sonya Garnett and Ashley Garnett are two of his sisters, and Louis McCullough is one of his brothers.
Education
In Mauldin, South Carolina, Garnett attended Hillcrest Middle School before transferring to Mauldin High School. He joined the basketball squad and began playing basketball in high school.
Garnett, meanwhile, had to deal with racism at his school and was expelled after making false claims. Later, he completed his high school education at Chicago’s Farragut Career Academy.
Kevin Garnett participated on the Farragut Career Academy varsity basketball squad. In recognition of his outstanding performance, USA Today named him the National High School Player of the Year.
Additionally, he received the title of Mr. Basketball for the state of Illinois. Kevin was also selected as one of the 35 Greatest McDonald’s All-Americans and the Most Outstanding Player. When Garnett received his high school diploma, he had already achieved basketball stardom.
Height, weight, and age
Due to the fact that Kevin Garnett was born in 1976, his age is [compute years datestring= “05/19/1976”]. Taurus people are those born in May.
Additionally, Kevin claims to be an American of black ethnicity and was born in Greenville, South Carolina. Garnett is also about 240 lb in weight and stands at 6 ft 11 in (2.11 m) tall (109 kg).
Career in the Profession
He was taken by the Minnesota Timberwolves with the fifth overall pick in the 1995 NBA Draft. He was the first player drafted by an NBA franchise right out of high school in 20 years.
With his mix of height, agility, and shooting prowess, Garnett had made an impact that was difficult to shake. In his second season, he was chosen to play in the NBA All-Star Game, and he quickly became a star in the league.
The highest-paying long-term contract in American professional sports history was signed by him in 1997, when he accepted a contract extension worth $126 million over six years.
Garnett shone while representing Minnesota and had a number of outstanding individual accomplishments. He was an All-Star in each of his first 12 seasons and won NBA Most Valuable Player in 2003–04. But because it was unable to go to the NBA Finals, his team was left in the dust.
Later, Garnett joined the Boston Celtics. He was chosen as the NBA Defensive Player of the Year, though, and he helped the Celtics win the NBA championship in 2008.
However, following the 2012–13 season, Garnett was transferred to the Brooklyn Nets. Before leaving the Nets in 2015, he spent a season with the Minnesota Timberwolves.
His career as a basketball player came to an end in September 2016, after twenty-one years in the NBA. After retiring, he worked as a studio analyst for a television show with an NBA theme.
The Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame inducted Garnett in 2020.
International Competitions
In a number of international basketball competitions, Kevin has represented the United States. He competed for the United States on the gold-winning Olympic national team in 2000.
In addition to this, he coached the group that captured the gold medal at the 1998 FIBA Americas Championship in San Juan.
Kevin Garnett | Awards and Achievements
Kevin Garnett has a long list of awards and achievements to his name. Some of them are as listed below:
- NBA champion (2008)
- NBA Most Valuable Player (2004)
- Fifteen times NBA All-Star (1997, 1998, 2000–2011, 2013)
- NBA All-Star Game MVP (2003)
- Four times All-NBA First Team (2000, 2003, 2004, 2008)
- Three times All-NBA Second Team (2001, 2002, 2005)
- Two times All-NBA Third Team (1999, 2007)
- NBA Defensive Player of the Year (2008)
- Nine times NBA All-Defensive First Team (2000–2005, 2008, 2009, 2011)
- Three times NBA All-Defensive Second Team (2006, 2007, 2012)
- Four times NBA rebounding champion (2004–2007)
- NBA All-Rookie Second Team (1996)
- J. Walter Kennedy Citizenship Award (2006)
- No. 5 retired by Boston Celtics
- Mr. Basketball USA (1995)
- Two times First-team Parade All-American (1994, 1995)
- McDonald’s All-American Game MVP (1995)
- Illinois Mr. Basketball (1995)
- South Carolina Mr. Basketball (1994)
Off the Court with Kevin Garnett
Additionally making his acting debut in the 2019 crime drama Uncut Gems was Kevin Garnett. The movie, in which Garnett played a fictitious version of himself, was made by the Safdie brothers.
Garnett’s performance received favorable reviews, and Village Roadshow Pictures offered him a job.
In addition, Simon & Schuster published Garnett’s book, KG: A to Z: An Uncensored Encyclopedia of Life, Basketball, and Everything in Between, in February 2021.
Kevin Garnett: Spouse and Kids
In July 2004, Kevin Garnett wed Brandi Padilla, his longtime partner. The couple was married in a small ceremony in California. Garnett declined the chance to compete in the Olympic Games in Athens in favor of the union.
Two girls, Kapri Garnett (born in 2008) and Kavalli Garnett, were a blessing to Kevin (born in 2013).
However, Garnett’s wife sought custody of the kids when she filed for divorce on July 12, 2018. Brandi claimed that the only solution to her personal problems, which rendered divorce impossible, was to file for divorce.
In the case of child custody and spousal support, the couple engaged in a court battle. Kevin revoked the spousal support and sought for joint support for the children. They eventually came to an understanding, and the problem was said to have resolved.
In the present, it appears that Kevin has found a new love. Who Kevin is dating is unknown, though. He has frequently been spotted with this unidentified woman. Watch this space to learn who that woman is.
You might also be interested in reading about Elton Brand, who was selected by the Chicago Bulls in the first round of the 1999 NBA Draft.
Instagram presence
Social media is like a doorway to Kevin Garnett’s life. He updates his social media pages frequently with news about his life. So, be sure to follow Garnett’s social media accounts if you want to stay connected to his world.
Instagram has 996k users (As of 2022)
Twitter has 75,1K users (As of 2022)
Salary and Assets
The staggering $120 million in net worth belongs to Kevin Garnett. One of the top ten richest NBA players ever, he amassed a net worth from his career.
Garnett only received the NBA contracts, which brought in about $334.3 million. In his final NBA season, he received $12 million in compensation. Garnett received $28 million in salary for a season, making him the highest-paid NBA player of all time at one point.
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In addition to this, Kevin has made a fortune through sponsorship deals. In 2010, he became the first member of the All-Star team to agree to a multimillion dollar endorsement contract with the Chinese sportswear company Anta.
He used to receive $2 million from Adidas as compensation for endorsing them. After graduating from high school, Garnett obtained a contract with Nike, but left after five years to work for AND1, then for Adidas.
The Air Garnett 3, a popular and fashionable Nike shoe, is another one of Garnett’s creations.
In addition to this, Kevin also makes a lot of money via investments and sponsorships.
FAQs
What are the overall NBA statistics of Kevin Garnett?
In his NBA career, Kevin Garnett played 1,462 games with an average of 10 rebounds, 1.3 steals, 3.7 assists, 1.4 blocks, and 17.8 points per game.
Overall, he has scored 26,071 points, 14,662 rebounds, and 313 assists.
Does Kevin Garnett have a ring?
Yes, Kevin has one ring as he has won one NBA championship playing for Boston Celtics in 2008. Despite being a stellar NBA player, Garnett shined as an individual than a team. So, he has only one ring.
Why is Kevin Garnett called The Big Ticket?
Kevin Garnett had been in the spotlight since his draft. He was very popular when he was playing with Minnesota Timberwolves, and people would pay the ticket to watch him play. Due to this, the arena was full whenever Kevin used to play, so he was called the big-ticket.