addByline("Taylor Snow", "Celtics.com", "taylorcsnow"); addPhoto("https://publish.nba.com/celtics/sites/celtics/files/kguntitled-8.jpg", "Kevin Garnett and his daughters stand underneath his renowned quote inside the Celtics locker room.", "Celtics", "kg");
BOSTON – Toward the end of his NBA career, Kevin Garnett emphasized how he wanted his legacy to be perceived: “I want to be known as the best teammate ever.”
Despite all of the statistical achievements and the abundance of awards he racked up over the course of his 21 years in the league, which included six seasons with the Boston Celtics, KG’s best quality wasn’t one that could be defined by numbers or accolades. What made him special was his ability to bring out the best in his colleagues and make them feel empowered.
On the court, Garnett helped to maximize his teammates’ potential by getting in their ears, motivating them, and leading by example. Off the court, he empowered them by bringing them together as equals, giving them a sense of belonging, and creating a lifelong brotherhood.
Although his commanding presence often made him the center of attention, his primary objective was not to make it about him. All he ever wanted to do was to make it about them.
Sunday was meant to be all about KG, as the Celtics bestowed upon him the ultimate honor in retiring his No. 5 jersey patch to the TD Garden rafters. But in KG fashion, he turned the personal commemoration into a family celebration.
All the love he received, he gave right back, just like the best teammate ever would do.
The first part of Garnett’s afternoon was spent embracing the current Celtics team by supporting them in their marquee matchup against the Dallas Mavericks.
After arriving at the arena, he went straight into the locker and training rooms where he interacted with every present member of the roster from the stars, to the role players, to the guys on 10-day contracts. It was a surreal moment for players like Rob Williams, who tweeted the word “MOTIVATION” in all caps after taking in Garnett's special day.
On his way out, KG passed through a doorway next to Marcus Smart’s locker. Above the frame, his famous words had been stenciled: “I want to be known as the best teammate ever.”
Garnett carried those words with him to his baseline seat next to Boston’s basket. He cheered on his Celtics family as they fought to the end in a 95-92 loss, but he made them feel like winners throughout the game.
There was one instance during the second quarter when Jaylen Brown threw down a thunderous dunk right in front of Garnett, which instinctively prompted the man of honor to jump out of his chair and slap hands with Brown while shouting some form of encouragement in his face. For a moment, Brown got to feel exactly what it was like to be KG’s teammate, and it was probably one of the highlights of his career.
During pauses in the action, Garnett was showered with love via video tributes on the jumbotron. Each stoppage of play included some sort of highlight package, blooper reel, or congratulatory message. Just about every living Celtics Legend took part in some shape or form, including Bill Russell, who welcomed KG to the retired-number club in a pre-recorded video message.
Following the game, a 50-minute celebration was held on the court, where Garnett was surrounded by Celtics Legends, former teammates, current Celtics, and family and friends. After hearing their words of praise throughout the day, Garnett reciprocated the love during a passionate Q&A session with NBC Sports Boston color commentator and fellow 2008 champion Brian Scalabrine.
“I was listening to the videos and everything in here, and I kept hearing that it was said that I came here and made players better,” Garnett said. “In all actuality, those players made me better and I like to think that we made each other better.”
One of those players was Hall-of-Famer Ray Allen, with whom Garnett had a strained relationship over the past decade. But KG used this platform as an opportunity to bury their rift in the most wholesome fashion.
“I want to say something: it’s good to see Ray Allen in here. Real s––,” he said looking over at Allen, who sat on the court in the first of three rows of Garnett's friends and family members. “It’s good to see you, Ray.”
Overcome with emotion, Allen stood up, walked over to Garnett, and embraced him for the first time since their last season as teammates in 2012. Paul Pierce then joined in to form a group hug, reuniting the New Big 3 at long last in front of a standing ovation from the 19,000-plus fans in attendance.
In that moment, Garnett helped to remove a giant weight off Allen’s shoulders, as it allowed the former 3-point king to finally feel a sense of belonging back inside his old stomping grounds.
“I did get the sense that the people here felt how Kevin felt,” Allen went on to say. “So once he accepted me, then the people accepted me.”
After wrapping up the Q&A, it was time for Garnett to take his permanent place among Celtics Legends. He and his two daughters made their way over to a jumble of ropes hanging from the rafters and began hoisting his number toward its eternal resting spot.
Garnett attempted to shake off his emotions as the cloth banner unfolded in front of him, but they eventually got the best of him as a tear streaked down his cheek while his number streaked skyward. This was a moment that he had dreamed of ever since his introductory press conference nearly 15 years prior.
“The first thing I did after the press conference was come in here, and I looked up at the rafters and I just manifested, not only a championship, but seeing myself immortal in the ceiling.”
Garnett immortalized himself within Celtics' lore not just through his play, but through his actions. He was a selfless superstar who understood that the key to success was empowering those around him.
KG created a sense of belonging among his Celtics family from the day he first donned his No. 5 jersey to the day he raised it to the TD Garden rafters. And that's what cemented him as the best teammate ever.