Kevin Garnett and Timberwolves owner Glen Taylor have had a tangled history, with Garnett keeping his distance from the franchise in recent years after the end of his playing days in Minnesota left a sour taste in Garnett's mouth.
But upon the announcement that Garnett will be entering the Basketball Hall of Fame, Taylor put out a statement released by the team praising Garnett.
"This is an honor so well deserved," said Taylor, who also owns the Star Tribune. "We congratulate Kevin on being selected to the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame. From the day we drafted him in 1995, we knew there was something special about him that Minnesota had never experienced before. I've watched Kevin grow on and off the court and will forever be grateful for his contributions to the Timberwolves organization."
Those contributions haven't been duplicated since in the Wolves organization. Garnett led the team to its only trip to the Western Conference finals in 2004 and led it to eight straight playoff appearances. Of course, Garnett won a title with the Celtics in 2008 and is scheduled to have his jersey retired by Boston before Minnesota does the honors, another piece of fallout from Garnett's fractured relationship with the organization, where Garnett concluded his playing days in 2016.
But on Saturday, there were only nice things to say from Taylor's end.
"He was beloved by our fans in a way that only few players experience and will always have a place at Target Center," Taylor said. "To be elected in his first year of eligibility validates the impact he had on basketball in Minnesota, the NBA, and around the globe. We are so happy for him to receive this recognition."
Minnesota Timberwolves and Lynx owner Glen Taylor spoke with Kevin Garnett at a Lynx game in September 2015. Photo: Carlos Gonzalez/Star Tribune
