Kevin Garnett called Minnesota home as the Timberwolves announced plans to raise his No. 21 to the Target Center rafters.
Kevin Garnett’s complicated history with the Minnesota Timberwolves is giving way to the celebration many fans believed was long overdue.
The Timberwolves announced Thursday that Garnett’s No. 21 jersey will be retired Feb. 28, 2027, after Minnesota hosts the Boston Celtics on NBC’s “Sunday Night Basketball.”
Garnett responded by expressing his appreciation for the organization, its fans and Timberwolves co-chairmen Marc Lore and Alex Rodriguez.
May 15, 2021; Uncasville, Connecticut, USA; Class of 2020 inducteeKevinGarnettwith Isiah Thomas (left), speaks during the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame Enshrinement ceremony at Mohegan Sun Arena. Mandatory Credit: David Butler II-USA TODAY Sports“Minnesota is home,” Garnett said in the team’s announcement. “That’s never changed. This is where it all started for me, so seeing No. 21 go up in Target Center and sharing that moment with the fans, my family, teammates, coaches, and everyone who’s been part of this journey means everything.”
A long-awaited reunion
The retirement ceremony will complete Garnett’s formal reunion with the franchise that drafted him fifth overall in 1995.
Garnett returned to the organization as a team ambassador in December 2025 after years of distance between him and the Timberwolves under former owner Glen Taylor. The new ownership group has made reconnecting Garnett with Minnesota a priority.
He will become the second player in franchise history to have his number retired. Malik Sealy’s No. 2 was retired after his death in 2000.
Garnett spent 14 of his 21 NBA seasons with Minnesota across two stints. He remains the franchise leader in games, minutes, points, rebounds, assists, steals, blocks, field goals, free throws, double-doubles and triple-doubles.
His defining season came in 2003-04, when he averaged 24.2 points, 13.9 rebounds and five assists and was named the NBA’s Most Valuable Player. Garnett led Minnesota to a franchise-record 58 victories, its first division championship and its first Western Conference finals appearance.
Celebration extends beyond one night
The Timberwolves will honor Garnett throughout the 2026-27 season with theme nights celebrating important moments from his career.
The series begins Dec. 16 against the Los Angeles Lakers with Draft Night. Minnesota will recognize his 2003 All-Star Game MVP performance Jan. 29 against Charlotte before holding the retirement ceremony against Boston, the franchise Garnett helped lead to the 2008 NBA championship.
Additional events will celebrate his MVP season March 14 and Minnesota’s 2004 conference finals run March 28.
Garnett said he views the jersey retirement as the beginning of a new chapter rather than the end of his relationship with Minnesota. He plans to use projects involving art, culture, production and collectibles to maintain a presence in the community.
Lore and Rodriguez described Garnett as more than the greatest player in franchise history, saying he became the embodiment of competition, leadership and Minnesota basketball.
For years, the most important player in Timberwolves history remained disconnected from the organization. That separation has ended.
No. 21 will finally reach the rafters, with Garnett back where his Hall of Fame career began.
