Wolves to retire Garnett's 21 around Celtics game

The Minnesota Timberwolves will retire Kevin Garnett's No. 21 jersey after they face another of his former clubs, the Boston Celtics, on Feb. 28, the team announced Friday. It will be the second jersey retirement for the 15-time All-Star, after the Celtics did so for the No. 5 in March 2022. The Timberwolves in December had announced plans to honor Garnett after he agreed to a reunion with his first NBA squad and became a team ambassador. Minnesota said at the time that Garnett's retirement ceremony would be held at some point over the next two seasons. "Minnesota is home. That's never changed. This is where it all started for me, so seeing No. 21 go up in Target Center and sharing that moment with the fans, my family, teammates, coaches, and everyone who's been part of this journey means everything," Garnett said in a statement. "But I don't see this as the end - I see it as a new beginning. Retiring the jersey is just the start of the next chapter in Minnesota, about building something that lives beyond the game. ... I can't wait to be back in that building, feel that energy, and celebrate it with everybody. Let's get it." Garnett had been distant from the Timberwolves since his playing career ended in 2016 due to a fallout with former owner Glen Taylor. Garnett had refused to have his jersey retired by Minnesota until he built a rapport with new governors Marc Lore and Alex Rodriguez, who agreed to buy the team in 2021. "Bringing Kevin back to the organization as Team Ambassador has allowed us to celebrate his legacy in a new and meaningful way, and retiring No. 21 is the ultimate recognition of everything he has meant to this franchise and our fans," Lore and Rodriguez said in a statement. "We are thrilled to celebrate this incredible moment with Kevin, his family, our fans and everyone who helped make his legacy possible." The Timberwolves said next season would feature a number of "KG Theme Nights," starting with one honoring his draft night that will be held Dec. 16 against the Los Angeles Lakers. Garnett's previous number retirement also featured the end of a rift, as he embraced Ray Allen during his Celtics ceremony to resolve an issue that had loomed since Allen joined the Miami Heat as a free agent in 2012. Garnett is the Timberwolves' all-time leader in points, rebounds, assists, steals and blocks. He is the only NBA player to lead a franchise in those five categories. Garnett is also the only player in Timberwolves history to win an MVP (2003-04). He led the Timberwolves to eight straight playoff appearances between 1996-97 and 2003-04, the last of those being their only campaign with a playoff series win until their 2024 West finals run. The Timberwolves have retired only one other number in team history: the No. 2 of Malik Sealy, who playing for Minnesota when he was killed in a car crash in May 2000.