Kevin Garnett is a South Carolina native and a former NBA player who was drafted to the NBA in 1995 as the fifth overall pick by the Minnesota Timberwolves, as per ESPN. He signed a three-year rookie contract worth $5,397,120.
He played for the Timberwolves for 13 years before being traded to the Boston Celtics, earning his first and only championship ring. Garnett also played for the Brooklyn Nets (2013–2015) before retiring with the Timberwolves (2015–2016).
“It has been a real joy to watch KG come into the league as a young man and watch him develop his skills to become one of the very best in the NBA,” Timberwolves owner Glen Taylor said upon Garnett’s retirement. “I have treasured the opportunity to see him grow as a leader. I wish him continued success in the next chapter of his life. His Minnesota fans will always cherish the memories he has provided.”
His career in the league also saw him achieve several feats including being a 15-time All-Star and winning the 2004 NBA MVP and the 2008 NBA Defensive Player of the Year awards, among other accolades.
For his long service with the Timberwolves, the NBA star developed an unconventional way of keeping track of his money, due to his limited knowledge on financial literacy.
“I was kind of raised with a certain pedigree and mindset so I wasn’t introduced to wires or just fintech. I wasn’t financially savvy. I didn’t know about direct deposit. I didn’t know none of this,” Garnett said during an interview on “Jimmy Kimmel Live.”
For a decade, he chose to cash his earnings and store it under his mattress instead of a bank.
According to Afro Tech, Garnett earned $334,304,240 across three teams before retiring in 2016. What is more, he was still making $5 million a year since retiring until 2024.
Today, the former NBA star has reinvented himself as an entrepreneur. He started a 3×3 street basketball league in 2023 in partnership with Pro League Network. He is also the founder of Anything Is Possible Fund, which provides education in sports business, coding, and esports management for underserved communities.
Essentially, Anything is Possible Fund is a program “designed to provide a portal to empower, support, and fund those who have been unfairly affected by inequality,” its website says.
