The Minnesota Timberwolves are bringing Kevin Garnett home - and while the fans are buzzing, inside the locker room, the vibe is a little more measured. That’s not a knock on Garnett’s legacy. It’s just a reminder of how quickly time moves in the NBA.
Garnett, the franchise’s all-time great, is returning in a new role that will see him around the team more frequently, attending games and, fittingly, having his jersey retired. For Wolves fans, this is a long-awaited full-circle moment. It’s the type of reunion that stirs up memories of MVP speeches, primal screams, and the kind of competitive fire that made Garnett not just a Timberwolves legend, but a basketball icon.
But inside the Wolves’ practice facility, the reaction hasn’t matched the fanfare. That’s not due to a lack of respect - it’s more about generational distance. Most of the current roster never shared the court with Garnett, and some were barely out of diapers when he was traded to Boston in 2007.
Naz Reid, one of the team’s key rotation players, acknowledged that he hasn’t met Garnett yet. But even without a personal connection, Reid understands what KG represents.
“Just off the energy and things he’s done in the past, I’m sure he’s going to be good for us and the organization and the fans,” Reid said.
Terrence Shannon Jr., who grew up in Chicago like Garnett, shared a similar sentiment. Garnett’s high school legend looms large in the Windy City, and Shannon is well aware of that legacy.
“I know the work he did in Chicago and here with the Timberwolves,” Shannon said. “I feel like this is something he wanted, and I’m glad he got the opportunity to get it done and get his jersey retired.”
The generational gap becomes even more stark when you realize that Garnett played his final NBA game in 2016. Reid was 16.
Shannon was 15. Rob Dillingham?
Just three years old. Rookie Joan Beringer?
Eight months. For most of this roster, Garnett is a YouTube legend more than a living, breathing part of their basketball memories.
Only a handful of current Wolves - Rudy Gobert, Mike Conley, Joe Ingles, and Julius Randle - actually played against Garnett. And even then, the overlap was brief.
Gobert, who grew up in France, might’ve had the most relatable take on Garnett’s influence. He didn’t just watch Garnett - he studied him.
“I remember when I was 18, I started playing professionally in France, and I used to watch KG videos on YouTube,” Gobert said. “KG mix to get hyped.
So yeah, I think it’s great for the culture. I think he’s someone that has that competitive spirit, that heart.
This is something that’s beyond just business, and it’s something that’s contagious.”
Anthony Edwards is one of the few players on the roster who’s had some direct interaction with Garnett - the two worked on commercials together and were both involved in the basketball film Hustle. But for most of the team, KG is more myth than mentor - at least for now.
And that’s where this move could have real impact.
Garnett isn’t just the best player in Timberwolves history - he is the Timberwolves’ history. He holds nearly every major statistical record in franchise history.
He’s the only player in team history to win an MVP. He’s on the NBA’s 75th Anniversary team.
And above all, he’s the embodiment of basketball intensity. This is the guy who headbutted the stanchion before games and barked like a man possessed to get himself - and his teammates - locked in.
That kind of energy doesn’t fade. And if the Wolves can bottle even a fraction of it, they’re onto something.
We’ve seen this kind of cultural continuity work across the hallway in the Target Center. The Minnesota Lynx have done a masterful job of keeping their legends close.
Hall of Famers like Rebekkah Brunson and Lindsay Whalen are on the coaching staff. Sylvia Fowles and Seimone Augustus are regular presences at practices, passing down knowledge and setting a tone for the next generation.
Augustus, reflecting on her time mentoring Napheesa Collier, explained how that continuity pays off.
“She would just sit back and watch myself and Syl kind of lead the team and see how we would go about our business,” Augustus said. “Now I see all of those similarities in how she goes about her business.”
That’s the blueprint. That’s the hope with Garnett.
If KG can bring even a piece of that championship DNA - the edge, the accountability, the obsession with doing things the right way - it could be a game-changer for a Wolves team that’s still chasing its first real taste of postseason success.
It won’t come through osmosis. Culture doesn’t transfer just because a legend walks into the room. But if Garnett is around, engaged, and willing to share the fire that made him who he was, it could light something under this group.
Just don’t expect Gobert to take up the headbutting ritual.
“No, na,” Gobert said with a laugh. “I’m a different kind of guy, but I see myself in him in terms of the competitive spirit.”
That’s the kind of connection the Wolves are hoping for. Not imitation - inspiration.
And with Garnett back in the fold, the spark is there. Now it’s up to the next generation to carry the torch.