Player Profiles: The Legendary, The Past & The Present

Whether you call him KG, Da Kid, or The Big Ticket, there?s no denying Kevin Garnett?s profound impact on the game. Drafted straight out of high school by the Minnesota Timberwolves in 1995, he made an instant impact as an emotional, high energy player that had a skill set unheard of for a 7-footer. As a franchise player in Minnesota, he led the T?Wolves to their first of many playoff appearances as well as bringing home numerous All-NBA honors and an MVP award en route to becoming a household name as a perennial All-Star game starter. In 2007 he left Minnesota for the Boston Celtics where he would get his first NBA Championship and Defensive Player of the Year honors. Garnett?s size and athleticism has transcended the game in what is surely a Hall of Fame career.

When Garnett broke onto the scene in 1995, Nike was quick to sign the young, brash, ultra-marketable high schooler. In his early days Garnett donned various Nike Uptempo sneakers as well as the Jumpman Pro. After establishing himself as one of the premier talents in the league Nike gave him his own line starting with the Air Garnett, only to be followed by two more installments of the same namesake. The Air Garnett 3 broke grounds by introducing Tuned Air cushioning. These sneaker releases were paired with hilarious Nike spots that feature him as one of the head interrogators of the Fun Police. After three signature shoes, Nike used Garnett to push their new Flightposite line. Futuristic technology, sleek design, and classic commercials helped Nike usher in the new wave of basketball footwear for the new millennium. In 2001 he left the Swoosh for a short lived campaign with And 1. Garnett currently plays in adidas basketball shoes and is an integral player in their ?Believe in Five? and ?Impossible is Nothing? marketing campaigns.