Kevin Garnett's NSFW reaction to Timberwolves jersey retirement will leave you creasing originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
Kevin Garnett finally will get the chance to see his Timberwolves jersey leap to the rafters this season. He likely wouldn't have envisioned it taking the franchise a decade to do so when he first skipped town.
Garnett spent 14 years cloaked in Minnesota colors. Conventional wisdom would suggest that the Timberwolves would have worked quick to celebrate their greatest-ever player, who was inducted into the Basketball Hall of Fame in 2020.
That didn't quite come to fruition, though. Now, nearly two decades after he was shipped off to the Celtics and a decade after he retired, Garnett is finally receiving the flowers from the side he is most synonymous with. Suffice to say, Garnett isn't holding back his thoughts on how long the wait was.
With that, here's a look at Garnett's reaction — in all its glory — to news of his impending jersey retirement.
Kevin Garnett's NSFW reaction to Timberwolves jersey retirement
Garnett will see his vaunted No. 21 jersey go up in the rafters at Target Center when the Timberwolves host Boston on Feb. 28. He'll become the second player in franchise history to receive the honor, joining former teammate Malik Sealy, whose No. 2 was retired after he died in a car accident in 2000.
Garnett admitted that the honor was a long-time coming on an episode of his "KG Certified" podcast released on Friday.
"They made a m— wait 10 years," Garnett said. "They made a m— wait long enough, b— ass n—."
@LegionHoops @kg_certified Naah T-Wolves yall waited too long😭 https://t.co/Qk9mWoPMfO
— THE PAINT NBA (@ThePaintNBA) October 16, 2026
With respect to Kevin Love, Karl-Anthony Towns and Anthony Edwards, Garnett is by far the greatest player in Minnesota history. He was a three-time first-team All-NBA selection across 14 seasons with the Timberwolves. Garnett's impressive play culminated with a glittering 2003-04 campaign that saw him earn MVP honors after posting averages of 24.2 points, 13.9 rebounds, 5.0 assists, 2.2 blocks and 1.6 steals per game.
Garnett remains the franchise's all-time leader in games (970), points (19,201), rebounds (10,718), assists (4,216), blocks (1,590), steals (1,315) and triple-doubles (16). While Garnett's response to the honor was humorous, the length of time it took for Minnesota to put his No. 21 in the rafters is surprising.
The reason why the Timberwolves took so long to enshrine their greatest-ever player with the franchise's highest honor is simple, though. He just didn't get along with former Minnesota owner Glen Taylor. Garnett and Taylor locked horns following his trade to the Celtics in 2007.
Former Timberwolves president and coach Flip Saunders attempted to mend things in the early 2010s. But things fell apart after Saunders died, leading to another cold war between the two.
Taylor's decision to sell Minnesota appears to have opened the door for Garnett to receive his just rewards for a 14-year career well spent in the Land of 1,000 Lakes. He should get quite the reception when he makes his long-awaited return to the house he helped forge.