Kevin Garnett spent six years with the Boston Celtics, winning a championship in 2008. During his tenure with the franchise, Garnett became a fan favorite and quickly secured his status among the best players to walk the halls of the TD Garden.
Becoming a transcendent member of Celtics’ history isn’t easy. So many great players have donned the jersey and become legends in their own right. However, Garnett’s fierce competitiveness and sheer will to win helped end a championship dry spell and put the team back on the map.
In a recent player ranking from Bleacher Report, where they listed out the top 100 players in NBA history, Garnett ranked 16th, proving how much of a star he was during his playing career. Of course, most of his best years came with the Minnesota Timberwolves; however, it was Boston that helped make him a champion.
“Though he slogged through over a decade of mostly rough years with the Minnesota Timberwolves, it was always clear that KG’s game was built to be featured on a winner,” Bleacher Report’s staff writers explained. “When he landed with the Boston Celtics for the 2007-08 season, he proved as much by securing his DPOY and championship ring.”
During his time with the Celtics, Garnett played in 396 regular-season games, averaging 15.7 points, 8.3 rebounds and 2.7 assists, shooting 52% from the field.
Bleacher Report snubs Jayson Tatum
Despite Garnett receiving a significant amount of love in Bleacher Report’s rankings, Jayson Tatum didn’t receive such treatment. The ranking placed the St. Louis native as the 93rd best player in NBA history, despite his ever-growing list of achievements.
Tatum, 27, is an NBA champion. He’s a 6-time All-Star, 4-time All-NBA First-Team selection, and a two-time Olympic gold medalist. He has earned the right to be featured on a list with the greatest players of all time, but he certainly deserves better than 93rd overall.
“Jayson Tatum’s inclusion may be seen as a rush to coronation. He isn’t even halfway through his career,” Bleacher Report’s staff wrote. “Then again, that’s kind of the point. He has been a positive-impact player on both sides of the ball since entering the league, mostly for a title contender, and he was already the best player on a championship team. That is all before turning 28.”
Unfortunately for both Tatum and the Celtics, he won’t have a chance to continue adding to his resume next season. He will likely miss the entire season as he recovers from an Achilles tendon tear.
Celtics’ Paul Pierce ranks 49th
Another member of recent Celtics history also made Bleacher Report’s rankings, with Paul Pierce coming in at 49th.
“For a decade between 1998 and 2008, Pierce was the face of the Celtics, but it was in ’08 that he finally broke through. The title over Kobe Bryant’s Lakers, paired with his Finals MVP, locked in Pierce’s legacy as one of the league’s most dependable stars,” Bleacher Report wrote.
The list included 13 members from Celtics history. Bill Russell was the highest, ranking 5th all-time. Larry Bird was right behind him, sitting at 8th. John Havlicek (31), Bob Cousy (37) and Kevin McHale (46) rounded out the top 50.
