NBA Star Profile – Kevin Garnett

1. Rapidly growing from a high school rookie to a team core and All-Star player

· First entering the league (1995-96 season): Garnett was selected with the fifth overall pick in the first round as a high school student, becoming the first high school student under the age of 20 to be selected in the NBA draft. Despite primarily serving as a backup as a rookie (starting 43 games), he showed his all-around potential.

· Emerging (1996-97 season): Garnett's average data increased significantly and became the team's absolute main force (started 77 games). Not only was he selected to the All-Star Game for the first time, but more importantly, he led the Timberwolves to the playoffs for the first time in history. Although he was swept in the first round of the playoffs, Garnett averaged 17.3 points, 9.3 rebounds and 3.7 assists per game.

· Establishing the core (1997-98 season): Garnett's statistics continued to improve, and his average assists per game increased to 4.2. He started in the All-Star Game for the first time and recorded his first career triple-double - 18 points, 13 rebounds and 10 assists - against the Denver Nuggets on January 3, 1998. This season, he also started all 82 regular season games.

2. Transformation from the "Wolf King" of the Minnesota Timberwolves to the defensive core of the Boston Celtics

·Growing into an all-around leader (1998-99 to 2002-03 seasons): In the past few years, Garnett's data has continued to grow steadily, gradually increasing from averaging 20.8 points, 10.4 rebounds and 4.3 assists per game to 23.0 points, 13.4 rebounds and 6.0 assists per game. He averaged 20+ points, 10+ rebounds and 5+ assists per game for many consecutive seasons, becoming one of the most versatile players in the league. In the 2002-03 season, Garnett scored 37 points, 9 rebounds and 5 steals in the All-Star Game and was elected the All-Star Game Most Valuable Player (AMVP).

· Peak MVP season (2003-04 season): This is the peak of Garnett's personal performance in the Timberwolves. He averaged 24.2 points, 13.9 rebounds, 5.0 assists, 1.5 steals and 2.2 blocks per game, and was elected the regular season Most Valuable Player (MVP) this season. He led the team to the Western Conference Finals for the first time. Although they ultimately failed to reach the Finals, this was also the best playoff record he achieved during his tenure with the Timberwolves.

· Persistence and Challenge (2004-05 to 2006-07 seasons): Although the team's overall performance declined and even missed the playoffs for three consecutive years, Garnett still maintained a superstar-level personal output. In these three seasons, he still averaged more than 21 points and 12 rebounds per game, and became the league's rebounding leader many times in the 2004-05, 2005-06, and 2006-07 seasons.

· Transformation championship core (2007-08 season):

Garnett moved to the Boston Celtics and formed the "Big Three" with Paul Pierce and Ray Allen. His personal data has declined due to tactical adjustments and team basketball concepts, averaging 18.8 points, 9.3 rebounds, 1.3 blocks, 1.4 steals and 3.4 assists per game. He devoted more energy to the defensive end, won the best defensive player of the season, and led the team to win the NBA championship. In the Finals, Garnett averaged 18.2 points and 13 rebounds per game, serving as a solid barrier for the team inside.

3. Peak glory, dream of championship

·Defensive core and championship (2007-08 season): This is the pinnacle of Garnett's Celtics career. He successfully transformed into the team's defensive backbone and deservedly won the Defensive Player of the Year award. He led the Celtics to build a historical defensive system and finally defeated the Lakers to win the championship, which perfectly explained the value of leadership.

· Injury blow (2008-09 season): A serious knee injury cost him the playoffs, and the Celtics stopped in the Eastern Conference semifinals on their way to defending their title. This injury also had a certain impact on his subsequent athletic ability.

· Return to the Finals (2009-10 season): After returning from injury, Garnett adjusted his style of play and relied more on experience and defensive positioning. He was once again selected to the All-Defensive First Team and helped the team return to the Finals, but ultimately lost to the Lakers in the tiebreaker.

· Veterans Never Die (2011-2012 season): Despite his age, Garnett still maintained a high level of defense and was selected to the All-Defensive First Team for the last time. In the playoffs, he showed his value as a veteran, and the Celtics made it all the way to the Eastern Conference Finals, eventually losing to the Heat.

Garnett Files

4. The role transformation from core player to spiritual leader

· Core player and milestones (2012-2013 season): This is Garnett's last full season with the Celtics. He is still the team's important inside core, averaging 14.8 points and 7.8 rebounds per game. In the game against the Lakers on February 8, 2013, Garnett ushered in an important milestone in his career, becoming the 16th player in NBA history to score more than 25,000 points, and the first player to reach 25,000 points, 10,000 rebounds, 5,000 assists, 1,500 steals and 1,500 blocks. He was selected to the All-Star for the 15th time this season. In the playoffs, Garnett's performance declined. In the first round against the Knicks, he only made 4 of 12 shots, scored 8 points and 8 rebounds, and made key mistakes.

· Data decline and defensive contribution (2013-2014 season) After Garnett was traded to the Nets, his data dropped significantly, averaging only 6.5 points and 5.5 rebounds per game. Although his offensive power is no longer there, Garnett still plays an important role on the defensive end and in the locker room. In the game against the Magic on November 4, 2013, his total career playing time surpassed Wilt Chamberlain and rose to fifth place in NBA history.. In addition, his career steals also exceeded 1,800 mark.

5. The fallen leaves return to their roots, and the hero's twilight years in the 2014-2016 season, Garnett's data further declined. During his time at the Nets, he played primarily as an experienced veteran. On February 3, 2015, Garnett surpassed Nate Thurmond's total career rebounds and rose to eighth place in NBA history. It is more worth mentioning that on December 12, 2015 (this date belongs to the 2015-2016 season after Garnett returned to the Timberwolves), his total defensive rebounds in his career reached 11,409, becoming the defensive rebounding champion in NBA history. On February 20, 2015, Garnett returned to the place where the dream began through a trade - the Minnesota Timberwolves. Although the average number per game is no longer outstanding, he mainly plays the role of a mentor and spiritual leader for young players.