Kevin Garnett has finally decided to retire after 21 seasons in the NBA. He is leaving as one of the best defensive players in the history of the league and also one of the most influential competitors of the game.
In a video posted on his Instagram account on Friday, he expressed his thanks to everybody he played with and to all his fans. According to The Guardian, the 40-year-old Minnesota Timberwolves star came to an agreement with the management of the team.
The Wolves will waive Garnett's entire $8 million salary for the next season. It is the same approach done by the San Antonio Spurs to Tim Duncan when he announced his retirement in the league.
The Star reported that Wolves owner Glen Taylor said in an interview that they wish him the best in the future and he also thanked him for the great memories he contributed to the team.
Garnett came into the league after high school in 1995. He is the first player to have done that in 20 years. He became the Most Valuable Player in 2004, after leading the Timberwolves to the Western Conference finals.
He was later teamed with Paul Pierce and Ray Allen to help the Boston Celtics regain its Eastern Conference power. He appeared in two NBA Finals with the team. He spent an underwhelming season and a half with the Brooklyn Nets before returning to Minnesota in 2015.
It was reported that Garnett even thought of returning for his 22nd season but due to knee issues, which limited him to only 85 games over the last two seasons, he decided to end his run on the league. He also earlier expressed his desire to one day get into ownership with the Wolves but this remains unclear.
Kevin Garnett will retire as the highest earning player in the history of NBA with more than $330 million earned in salary.
