Fans hyped over Kevin Garnett's jersey retirement tease from new Wolves owner A-Rod

Kevin Garnett was the face of the Minnesota Timberwolves franchise for 12 seasons. One could easily make an argument that he is the greatest player to wear the team’s jersey. And yet, No. 21 is conspicuously absent from the rafters of Target Center, the team’s home court.

Back in 2020 a few days after the Boston Celtics announced Garnett’s jersey retirement, the former MVP was asked about the Timberwolves doing the same. The “Big Ticket” said in an interview that he wasn’t “entertaining” such an idea after a falling out with team governor Glen Taylor.

Kevin Garnett was reportedly in line to be part of the Timberwolves’ ownership group when former coach Flip Saunders died. When Saunders died, Taylor allegedly reneged on his words, prompting KG to call the billionaire a “snake.”

The standoff is coming close to an end as Glen Taylor is reportedly selling a majority of the franchise’s shares. Former MLB superstar Alex Rodriguez and his business partner Marc Lore will become the major stakeholders of the franchise.

The baseball player nicknamed “A-Rod” teased fans with a to-do list on X (formerly Twitter). He crossed out No. 1, which was to buy the Minnesota Timberwolves. No. 2 excited basketball fans, particularly Kevin Garnett diehards as he had this on the paper:

“Retire KG’s jersey”

Alex Rodriguez’s post was promptly greeted by a myriad of reactions on the said social media platform:

If the teaser will become a reality, then it is an honor that Kevin Garnett so richly deserves.

Before KG arrived, the Timberwolves had never been to the playoffs. He carried them to eight straight postseason appearances during the Kobe-Shaq Lakers era and the Tim Duncan-led Spurs. Garnett’s best showing was to drag his team to the 2004 Western Conference Finals where they were dispatched 4-2 by the Lakers.

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Kevin Garnett could join Malik Sealy as the only jerseys retired by the Minnesota Timberwolves

On November 4, 2000, the Minnesota Timberwolves retired the No. 2 jersey of Malik Sealy. The late NBA journeyman had a pedestrian line of 10.4 PPG, 3.9 RPG and 2.1 APG in 113 games. Sealy's basketball numbers don't jump out but his work in the community towered over the franchise.

Six months before his jersey was retired, he died in a tragic automobile accident. As a beloved figure in Minnesota for his all-out energy, the Timberwolves honored him by raising his jersey to the rafters. Sealy's work off the court in the community prompted the franchise to give him an honor given to a rare few.

Kevin Garnett could soon join him in Minnesota Timberwolves lore. The “Big Ticket” still has hordes of fans in the city and he is unquestionably deserving based on his basketball achievements. Garnett's name is at the top of the totem pole of many statistical categories such as points, rebounds and assists.