Hall of Famer Kevin Garnett has agreed to return to the Minnesota Timberwolves and Minnesota Lynx in a new overall role involving business, community and fan engagement efforts as well as content development, sources told ESPN on Thursday.
The Timberwolves will also hold Garnett’s highly anticipated No. 21 jersey retirement ceremony in Minnesota for the next two seasons, sources said.
Garnett had been away from the Timberwolves since his playing career ended in 2016 due to a fallout with former owner Glen Taylor refusing to retire his jersey, but he built relationships with new governors Marc Lore and Alex Rodriguez and the teams found common ground on a reunion.
Timberwolves officials finalized terms for Garnett’s return to the franchise this month with business manager Rich Gray and attorney George Daniel.
Garnett, a 15-time NBA All-Star, is the Timberwolves’ all-time leader in points, rebounds, assists, steals and blocks. He is the only NBA player to lead a franchise in all five categories. Garnett is also the only player in Timberwolves history to win the MVP award (2003-04).
He led the Timberwolves to eight consecutive playoff appearances between 1996-97 and 2003-04, the last of which being their only campaign to win a playoff series until their 2024 West Final.
In the months since agreeing to purchase the Timberwolves for a $1.5 billion valuation in 2021, Lore and Rodriguez have prioritized strengthening the franchise’s culture as well as its relationships with former players and staff, led by the iconic Garnett.
Under Lore and Rodriguez, the Timberwolves invested significant resources throughout the organization, including committing to a front office staff that included President of Basketball Operations Tim Connelly, entering the luxury tax for a third straight season and continuing to progress plans for a new arena in downtown Minneapolis over the next decade.
The Timberwolves (17-10) are once again fighting for playoff positioning in the West after two consecutive appearances in the conference finals.
