20 years after the Timberwolves made their first Conference Finals, Anthony Edwards and Co. repeated history on Sunday by defeating the Denver Nuggets in Game 7. And after the iconic win, KAT paid homage to Minnesota’s original superstar Kevin Garnett, who was celebrating his 48 birthday the same night, “Shoutout to KG! Happy birthday, KG! Here’s your present from all of us.” Although it took a long time for the Wolves to finally change the landscape of the franchise and get back to winning ways, KG credited minority owners Alex Rodriguez and Marc Lore for facilitating a ‘tactical’ shift amid people’s doubts.

Making an appearance on The Stephen A. Smith Show, The Big Ticket talked about how the Wolves have found a new energy this year, “With the help of Marc Lore and A-Rod… changing the vibe of Minnesota. Changing the narrative”. In 2022, when the front office traded for Center Rudy Gobert, many fans and analysts questioned this decision because they believed the Rudy and KAT combo would be a huge failure. Moreover, coming off the Warriors dynasty era, the league was still big believers in Stephen Curry and Co.’s fast-paced style rather than the inside game.

However, Lore and Rodriguez’s decision proved pivotal as Rudy instantly became the defensive anchor of the team and is a big reason why the Wolves reached the Conference Finals. “All of a sudden, you start seeing the rebirth of the big man.” Then, crediting Joel Embiid and Nikola Jokic for starting the big-man movement, he appreciated A-Rod and Marc for foreseeing the upcoming change in the league and believing in the team’s new lengthy lineup. Averaging over 12 points and nearly 11 rebounds while also protecting the paint with over one block each night, Gobert has been a crucial part of the Wolves’ playoff lineup so far.

Will Kevin Garnett return to Minnesota for the West Finals?

Although it has been eight years since KG bid farewell to the NBA, he still has that love and passion for the game especially for the Timberwolves franchise. Having not made an appearance in the Wolves arena so far, Garnett revealed that he has been watching every postseason game from his “man cave” and has been loving the competition in this year’s playoffs. And when Stephen A. asked KG if he would make an appearance at the Target Center to enjoy the momentous occasion of the Wolves making their first West Finals appearance since his era, he replied, “I got to!”

While Garnett is a busy man, with his family and multiple business ventures, he believed he could take some time out of his busy schedule to support the franchise he started and ended his career in. Moreover, with the new-age Wolves ready to create history once again, Garnett might not want to miss watching that feat live alongside thousands of fans. With the first game of the Finals against the Mavs scheduled for Wednesday at Target Center, KG along with the rest of the NBA world are excited to witness the highly-anticipated encounter.

Are you ready?