Real Name: | Kevin Maurice Garnett |
Birthday: | May 19, 1976 |
Net Worth | $120 million |
Height: | 211 cm |
Occupation: | American Former Professional Basketball Player |
Kevin Garnett earned the nickname the Big Ticket during his days in the NBA. He was a must-see TV back in his prime. And we can safely say he earned every penny during his 21-year career. Garnett is still the highest-paid NBA player of all-time. That might change in the upcoming years. But so far, no player earned more from contracts than Garnett. So, how much is Kevin Garnett’s wealth?
Born Kevin Maurice Garnett in 1976, Garnet spent 21-seasons in the NBA. Fans remember him for his intensity, defensive ability, versatility, and spirit. Garnett helped pave the way for many kids to enter the NBA after high school. After earning the National Player Award in 1995, he entered the 1995 NBA draft. He is the first NBA player drafted directly out of high school in 20 years.
During his career, Garnett earned more than $334 million in salary alone. Let’s take a look at his career path and fortune in 2020.
Career Journey
Garnett was one of the best players in the US during his high school years. And after winning the National Player Award in 1995, he declared for the draft. No player got drafted directly out of high school before Kevin in 20 years. But he changed that.
From the moment he got drafted and stepped on the court, Garnet presented a force. He got selected with the fifth overall pick in the 1995 NBA draft. During his first years, he completely transformed the Minnesota Timberwolves franchise. He took the team and made them into a perennial playoff contender.
Sadly, he couldn’t win much more than a couple of playoff games in Minnesota. The team failed to build a contender around him. Some bad moves and contract signings hampered the team. During his days with Minnesota, Garnett won an MVP award in 2004. For the year, he averaged 24.2 points, 13.9 rebounds, five assists, and 2.2 blocks per game.
Garnet also broke a couple of more barriers during his Minnesota years. He signed a modest 3-year, $5.4 million rookie contract. But the team quickly realized he will be the face of the franchise in the following years. So, they gave him a $126 million extension during the 1997-98 season. At the time, it was the highest contract in league history.
In 2004, Garnett led the Minnesota Timberwolves to the Western Conference Finals for the first time in franchise history. There, they lost to the Los Angeles Lakers. Kevin spent 12 seasons in Minnesota in total.
In the summer of 2007, Kevin Garnett asked a trade to the Boston Celtics. He believed the Timberwolves cannot build a contender. So, he joined up with Paul Pierce and Ray Allen in Boston in pursuit of the elusive NBA title.
In the first year, the Boston Celtics ran to the best record in the league. They had a tough time during the playoffs, but in the NBA Finals, they dismantled the Los Angeles Lakers. Garnett finally won his first and only championship ring.
The next year, he got injured during the playoffs, preventing him from helping the team. The Celtics didn’t make the Finals. And then in 2010, they made it to the NBA Finals again. This time, they lost to the Los Angeles Lakers in seven games.
Garnet spent six seasons in Boston. There, he made it to the NBA Finals once. The team got old, and they eventually couldn’t get over the Miami Heat. So, in search of a rebuild, the team traded Garnett to the Brooklyn Nets.
In Brooklyn, Garnett didn’t enjoy much success. The team couldn’t get past the first round. After a brief time there, he got back to Minnesota to finish his playing career.
In 2016, KG announced his retirement after 21 seasons. For his career, he averaged 17.8 points, 10 rebounds, and 3.7 assists per game.
KG also played for the National Team during the 2000 Summer Olympics. He won gold as a member of the team. During his only FIBA tournament, Kevin averaged 10.8 points, 9.1 rebounds, and 2.1 assists per game.
Following his retirement, KG joined the crew on TNT’s Inside the NBA. He got his own segment, Area 21. In January 2017, he joined the Los Angeles Clippers as a consultant.
He then played a fictionalized version of himself in the 2019 crime thriller movie, Uncut Gems. The movie revolves around the Eastern Conference Semi-Finals series in 2012 between the Celtics and Philadelphia 76ers. His performance earned positive reviews from critics.
Kevin Garnett got married to his longtime girlfriend Brandi Padilla in 2004 in a private ceremony. That was the reason he skipped the 2004 Olympic Games in Athens. They have two daughters together. In July 2018, KG’s wife filed for divorce asking for custody of the children.
Net Worth
Kevin Garnett is the highest-earning player in NBA history. But how much is Kevin Garnet’s wealth? During his playing career, he earned more than $334 million in salary alone. But he didn’t earn a lot from endorsements.
While he was a great player, companies feared his personality and no-nonsense character. Fun fact: KG earned more than $11 million than the second highest-player in NBA, Kobe Bryant. But Kobe made much more in endorsement deals.
He could have had much more money. But his wealth manager stole money from his accounts. In September 2018, KG sued him alleging that $70 million got stolen from his accounts.
After a successful NBA career, Kevin earns money from his other ventures and investments. Lately, he announced his wish to buy an NBA team. And he has his eyes set on Minnesota Timberwolves, the team he played for 12 years in the NBA.
We have to wait and see whether KG can find partners for buying a stake of the Minnesota Timberwolves. As of September 2020, Kevin Garnett’s fortune is more than $120 million. He will need a couple of partners, given that teams nowadays go for $1 billion.