Gatorade is a brand of sports-themed food and beverage products, built around its signature product: a line of sports drinks. Gatorade is currently manufactured by PepsiCo and distributed in over 80 countries.^[3] The beverage was first developed in 1965 by researchers at the University of Florida, to replenish the combination of water, carbohydrates, and electrolytes that the school's student-athletes lost (in sweat) during rigorous athletic competitions. Its name was derived from the collective nickname of the university's athletic teams, "the Gators".

Originally produced and marketed by Stokely-Van Camp, the Gatorade brand was purchased by the Quaker Oats Company in 1983, which itself was bought by PepsiCo in 2001. As of 2010, Gatorade is PepsiCo’s 4th-largest brand, on the basis of worldwide annual retail sales.^[4] It primarily competes with Coca-Cola's Powerade and Vitaminwater brands worldwide; plus, Lucozade Sport in the United Kingdom. Within the United States, Gatorade accounts for approximately 75 percent market share in the sports drink category.^[5]

History[link]

The first iteration of Gatorade was invented in 1965 by a team of researchers at the University of Florida, including Robert Cade, Dana Shires, Harry James Free, and Alejandro de Quesada.^[6] It was designed, following a request from Gators football assistant coach Ray Graves, to aid athletes by acting as a hydrating replacement for body fluids lost during physical exertion in hot weather. The earliest versions of the beverage consisted of a mixture of water, sodium, sugar, potassium, phosphate and lemon juice.^[7] Ten players on the University of Florida football team tested the first version of Gatorade during practices and games in 1965, and the tests were deemed successful. The football team credited Gatorade as having contributed to their first Orange Bowl win over the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets in 1967, at which point the drink gained traction within the athletic community. Yellow Jackets coach Bud Carson, when asked why his team lost, replied: "We didn’t have Gatorade. That made the difference."^[8]

Shortly after the 1967 Orange Bowl, Robert Cade entered into an agreement providing Stokely-Van Camp, Inc. (S-VC), a canned-food packing company, with the U.S. rights to production and sale of Gatorade as a commercial product.^[7] In the same year, a licensing arrangement made Gatorade the official sports drink of the National Football League, representing the first in a history of professional sports sponsorship for the Gatorade brand. A year after its commercial introduction, S-VC tested multiple variations of the original Gatorade recipe, finally settling on more palatable variants in lemon-lime and orange flavors. This reformulation also removed the sweetener cyclamate-which was banned by the FDA in 1969-replacing it with additional fructose.^[9] In the early 1970s, legal questions arose regarding whether or not the researchers who invented Gatorade were entitled to ownership of its rights, since they were working under a federal government grant that provided stipends at the time.^[7] The University of Florida also claimed partial rights ownership, which was brought to resolution in 1973 in the form of a settlement awarding the university with a 20 percent share of Gatorade royalties, totaling $100 million as of 2004.^[10]

The Quaker Oats Company purchased S-VC and Gatorade in 1983 for a sum of $220 million, following a bidding war with rival Pillsbury. In its first two decades of production, Gatorade was primarily sold and distributed within the United States. Beginning in the 1980s, then-parent Quaker Oats Company began to work at expanding distribution of Gatorade beyond the United States, venturing into Canada in 1984, regions of Asia in 1987, South America and parts of Europe in 1988, and Australia in 1993. International expansion came at the cost of $20 million in 1996 alone; however the resulting efforts produced worldwide sales of $283 million in more than 45 nations during the same year.^[11] In 1997, distribution of Gatorade in an additional 10 countries prompted an 18.7 percent growth in annual sales.^[12]

In 2001, the multinational food and beverage company PepsiCo acquired Gatorade's parent company, the Quaker Oats Company, for $13 billion in order to add Gatorade to its portfolio of food and beverage brands. PepsiCo had also recently developed All Sport, which it divested of shortly following the Quaker acquisition to satisfy antitrust regulations. Worldwide development of Gatorade continued into the 2000s, including expansion into India in 2004 and the U.K. and Ireland in 2008.^[12] As of 2010, Gatorade products were made available for sale in more than 80 countries.^[3] As the number one sports drink by annual retail sales in the United States, Canada, Mexico, Italy, Argentina, Brazil, Venezuela, Colombia, Indonesia and the Philippines, Gatorade is also among the leading sports drink brands in Korea and Australia.^[13]

As distribution of Gatorade expanded outside of the U.S., localized flavors were introduced to conform to regional tastes and cultural preferences, among other factors. For example, Blueberry is available in Colombia, and in Brazil a Pineapple flavor of Gatorade is sold. Rainbow has been a flavor sold in Russia, and in Australia, flavors include Antarctic Freeze and Wild Water Rush. Some flavors that have been discontinued in the U.S., such as Alpine Snow and Starfruit, have since been made available in other countries.^[12]

In 2011 Gatorade was reintroduced to New Zealand by Bluebird Foods, a Pepsico subsidiary in New Zealand. The product is made in Australia by Schweppes Australia and imported to New Zealand and distributed along with Bluebird potato chips.

Products[link]

Lemon-lime Gatorade in a glass bottle, circa 1970s

In its early years, the Gatorade brand consisted of a single product line — Gatorade Thirst Quencher — which was produced in liquid and powder form under two flavor variants: lemon-lime and orange.^[14] These remained as the only two flavor options for nearly 20 years, until the addition of the fruit punch flavor in 1983.^[15] In 1988 a Citrus Cooler flavor was introduced. The rise to popularity of this flavor was largely result of Michael Jordan, who — at the height of his NBA career in the early 1990s — stated that it was his favorite flavor. This claim appeared on the packaging beginning in 1991, as part of a 10-year endorsement deal.^[16][17] The Citrus Cooler flavor was reportedly discontinued at some point in the 1990s;^[18] however as of 2011 it is listed as being a current product in the U.S.^[19]

In the late 1970s and early 1980s, as well as the late 90s to early 2000s, a Gatorade brand of chewing gum called Gator Gum was produced. The product, manufactured by Fleer Corporation, was available in both of Gatorade's original flavors (lemon-lime and orange). In the late 1970s, Stokely-Van Camp (owner of Gatorade before 1983) negotiated a long-term licensing deal with Swell and Vicks to market Gator Gum. The gum was discontinued in 1989 after the contract expired.^[11][12]

It was not until the mid and late 1990s that Gatorade beverages became available in a broader range of flavor variations. Among these initial flavor extensions were Watermelon, introduced in 1995, and Cherry Rush, Strawberry Kiwi, and Mandarina flavors, added in 1996.^{[11][12]:171[20]} In January 1997 Gatorade launched a new sub-line called Gatorade Frost with the intent of broadening the brand's appeal beyond traditional team competitive sports. Three initial flavors under the Frost product line were introduced at this time: Alpine Snow, Glacier Freeze, and Whitewater Splash.^[21] Aimed at what the company described as the 'active thirst' category — a market 10 times the size of the sports drink segment — Gatorade Frost proved to be successful, far surpassing the company's initial expectations. Flavors in the Frost line were the first from Gatorade to divert from fruit names; it was described as consisting of 'light-tasting fruit-flavor blends.'^[11]

Gatorade revealed the Gatorade Energy Bar in 2001. This bar was Gatorade's first foray into solid foods and was introduced to compete with PowerBar and Clif Bar. Gatorade Energy Bars contained a large proportion of protein, in addition to carbohydrates. The bar was primarily made up of puffed grains and corn syrup, common components of other energy bars.^[12] In 2001, Gatorade introduced the Gatorade Performance Series, a special line of sports nutrition products. These products include Gatorade Carbohydrate Energy Drink, Gatorade Protein Recovery Shake, the Gatorade Nutrition Shake, and the Gatorade Nutrition Bar. The Endurance Formula, introduced in 2004, contained twice the sodium and three times the potassium of the typical Gatorade formula as well as chloride, magnesium and calcium, to better replace what athletes lose while training and competing.^[22]

Introduced as Gatorade Ice in 2002, this flavor was re-labeled as Gatorade Rain in 2006 and No Excuses in 2009.

Introduced in 2002, Gatorade Ice was marketed as a lighter flavored Gatorade and came in Strawberry, Lime, Orange, and Watermelon. All of these flavors were colorless and transparent. Ice was re-branded in 2006 as Gatorade Rain and the flavor selections altered. In late 2007, a low-calorie line of Gatorade drinks, named G2, was released.^[23] Still in production As of 2011^[update], G2 has been produced in eight flavors: Orange, Fruit Punch, Grape, Lemon-Lime, Strawberry Kiwi, Blueberry-Pomegranate, Raspberry Melon, and Glacier Freeze.^[24] SymphonyIRI Group named G2 the "top new food product of 2008," noting that the product generated retail sales of $159.1 million in its first full year of production.^[25]

Gatorade Tiger was a Gatorade Thirst Quencher sports drink formed as the result of a sponsorship arrangement with Tiger Woods. Debuting in March 2008, Gatorade Tiger was available in Red Drive (cherry), Cool Fusion (lemon-lime), and Quiet Storm (grape). Gatorade Tiger contained 25 percent more electrolytes than Gatorade Thirst Quencher.^[26] As part of the 2009 rebranding, Gatorade Tiger was re-labeled as Focus. It was reformulated, adding the amino acid theanine which is naturally found in many forms of tea, improving mental focus. Focus contained about 25 mg per 8 US fluid ounces (240 ml) serving or 50 mg per 16.9 US fluid ounces (500 ml) bottle. On 25 November 2009, it was reported by Beverage Digest, and later confirmed by PepsiCo, that they had made a decision, several months before November 2009, to discontinue some products to make room for the Prime and Recover products as part of a then-upcoming G Series re-branding.^[27]

Re-branding[link]

Between 2008 and 2010, Gatorade re-branded a number of its products.^[28] Original Gatorade was initially re-labeled as Gatorade G. Gatorade Rain was re-labeled as No Excuses. Gatorade AM was re-labeled Shine On; Gatorade X-Factor was relabeled as Be Tough; and Gatorade Fierce was relabeled Bring It. However these names were short-lived, as a two percent decline in market share in 2009 led to a broader repositioning of the entire line in 2010.^[29][30] Beginning in February 2010, the Gatorade product portfolio was re-positioned around what the company refers to as the G Series,^[31] categorizing varieties of its products into three main segments: before, during, and after athletic events.^[31]

• The Prime 01 product line consists of a pre-game fuel in a gel consistency, positioned for consumption prior to athletic activity.^[3]
• Traditional Gatorade products such as Gatorade Thirst Quencher (Original Gatorade), G2, and Gatorade Powder are categorized under the Perform 02 classification, representing their intention for consumption during periods of physical exertion.^[31]
• Recover 03 refers to a post-workout protein and carbohydrate drink, formulated with the consistency of a sports drink. The composition of this beverage reflects its intention to provide both hydration and muscle recovery after exercise.^[3]

G Series Pro, a brand extension initially developed for professional athletes, began to be sold in Home Depot and Dick's Sporting Goods stores in the U.S. in 2010 after first being available only in professional locker rooms and specialized training facilities.^[32] Also in 2010, Gatorade introduced the G Natural Gatorade line which is made with "natural flavors and ingredients," specifically sweetened with Stevia and sold in Whole Foods grocery stores within the United States. G Natural was released in two flavors: G Orange Citrus and G2 Berry.^[33] The G Series began to replace prior iterations of Gatorade product lines in the U.S. (the brand's highest volume market) in 2010,^[34] and Canada in 2011.^[35] While Gatorade products have historically been developed for athletes engaging in competitive sporting events, a separate line of products formulated for consumption before, during and after personal fitness exercise was introduced in the U.S. in 2011.^[36] Labeled under the name G Series FIT, this product line consists of pre-workout fruit-and-nut bites, lightly flavored electrolyte replacement drinks, as well as post-workout protein recovery smoothies.^[37][38]

Composition[link]

The original Gatorade is based on oral rehydration therapy, a mixture of salt, sugar, and water, with the citrus-based flavoring and food coloring added. The composition of individual Gatorade products varies depending upon the product in question, as well as the country in which it is sold. Gatorade Thirst Quencher contains water, sucrose (table sugar), dextrose, citric acid, natural flavor, sodium chloride (table salt), sodium citrate, monopotassium phosphate, and flavoring/coloring ingredients; some Gatorade flavor variations use brominated vegetable oil as a stabilizer.^[39] An 8 US fluid ounces (240 ml) serving of Gatorade Perform 02 (Gatorade Thirst Quencher) contains 50 calories, 14 grams of carbohydrates, 110 mg sodium and 30 mg potassium.^[40]

In regards to sweeteners, Gatorade Thirst Quencher is produced using a sucrose-dextrose mix. For a period of time in the 1990s and early 2000s, high fructose corn syrup was used to sweeten Gatorade distributed in North America. As of 2011, the drink is sweetened with a sucrose-dextrose combination, which the company describes as being "preferred by consumers." G2 and G2 Natural, labeled as being "lower calorie" variants, are sweetened in part with PureVia, an extract of the Stevia plant.^[41]

The presence of calories, sugar and sodium in Gatorade products has drawn attention from public school constituents, who have raised question over whether the sale of Gatorade beverages should be permitted in such schools. In 2010, California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger sponsored a bill (SB 1295) which proposed a ban on the sale of sports drinks in California schools.

Research and development[link]

The work of the Gatorade Sports Science Institute,^[42] located in Barrington, Illinois, is often featured in the company's commercials.

The Gatorade Sports Science Institute (GSSI) is a research facility operated in Barrington, Illinois that has been featured in a number of the company's commercials.^[42] Established in 1985,^[3] this organization consists of scientists studying the correlation and effects of exercise, environmental variables, and nutrition on the human body. It regularly conducts testing and research on how hydration and nutrition affect athletic performance.^[42] Professional athletes such as Eli Manning^[43] as well as collegiate and amateur athletes have been involved in fitness testing programs at the GSSI, which in part have led to innovations in new Gatorade formula variations and product lines.^[44]

In 2001, the GSSI observed that professional race car drivers were not maintaining adequate levels of hydration during races, attributable to the nature of drivers enduring multiple-hour races in high temperatures. As a result, it developed a product called the "Gatorade In-Car Drinking System," which has since been implemented in the vehicles of many professional race car drivers.^[45]

Advertising and publicity[link]

Gatorade is the official sports drink of NASCAR, the NFL, MLB, NBA, WNBA, USA Basketball, NHL, Association of Volleyball Professionals, US Soccer Federation, Major League Soccer, and other professional and collegiate athletic organizations,^[3] providing supplies of the drinks to sponsored teams in some cases. Distribution was extended to include the U.K. in 2008, coinciding with an agreement designating Gatorade as the official sports drink of the Chelsea F.C.^[46][47] Gatorade's 1991 "Be Like Mike" ads featured Michael Jordan of the Chicago Bulls, a North American basketball team which had just won its first National Basketball Association championship at the time. The ads began airing in August 1991 and the phrase "Be Like Mike" became household lingo in America.^[48] In more recent years, the Gatorade brand has continued to employ professional sports athletes in the promotion of its products. Primary endorsers in the 2000s have included Major League Baseball player Derek Jeter, National Hockey League player Sidney Crosby, National Basketball Association player Dwyane Wade, PGA Tour golfer Tiger Woods, and National Football League quarterback Peyton Manning.^[49]

In popular culture[link]

Gatorade has been the subject of substantial media attention and reference in popular culture situations, most of which are in relation to team or individual athletic sports. The most notable and ongoing presence of Gatorade in popular culture is the Gatorade shower, originally called the "Gatorade Dunk," where players from a victorious team pick up the Gatorade cooler, sneak up behind the head coach, and pour the contents of the cooler (generally Gatorade and ice) over his head at the end of an American football game. This tradition was popularized in the mid-1980s when Harry Carson and Jim Burt, of the New York Giants, doused head coach Bill Parcells during the 1985 season. Burt's teammates picked up on this practice and popularized it during the team's championship season of 1986–87. The tradition has since become a recurring tradition across other team sports.^[50]

Gatorade has also achieved status as the cliché representative for sports drinks in American media, for example, in the film Clerks, the character Dante is at one point forced to give free Gatorade to his hockey teammates, and in the film The Waterboy Adam Sandler is told that "the water sucks" and that Gatorade is superior.

References[link]

External links[link]

• Gatorade.com
• Gatorade Sports Science Institute
• Gatorade page on PepsiCo International UK & Ireland

Kevin Garnett

Garnett with the Celtics on January 13, 2008
No. 5 – Boston Celtics
Power forward / Center
Personal information
Born	(1976-05-19) May 19, 1976 (age 36) Greenville, South Carolina
Nationality	American
High school	Mauldin High School Farragut Career Academy
Listed height	6 ft 11 in (2.11 m)
Listed weight	253 lb (115 kg)
Career information
NBA Draft	1995 / Round: 1 / Pick: 5th overall
Selected by the Minnesota Timberwolves
Pro career	1995–present
Career history
1995–2007	Minnesota Timberwolves
2007–present	Boston Celtics
Career highlights and awards
NBA Champion (2008) NBA Most Valuable Player (2004) NBA Defensive Player of the Year (2008) 14× NBA All-Star (1997–1998, 2000–2011) 4× All-NBA First Team (2000, 2003–2004, 2008) 3× All-NBA Second Team (2001–2002, 2005) 2× All-NBA Third Team (1999, 2007) 9× NBA All-Defensive First Team (2000–2005, 2008–2009, 2011) 3× NBA All-Defensive Second Team (2006–2007, 2012) NBA All-Rookie Second Team (1996) 4× NBA rebounding champion (2004–2007) NBA All-Star Game MVP (2003) J. Walter Kennedy Citizenship Award (2006)
Stats at NBA.com
Stats at Basketball-Reference.com
Medals Men's basketball Competitor for the  United States Olympic Games Gold 2000 Sydney Team competition FIBA Americas Championship Gold 1999 San Juan Team competition

Kevin Maurice Garnett (born May 19, 1976) is an American professional basketball player who currently plays power forward for the Boston Celtics of the National Basketball Association (NBA). In high school, Garnett was a 1995 McDonald's All-American at Farragut Career Academy and won a national player of the year award.^[1][2] Garnett entered the 1995 NBA Draft, where he was selected with the 5th overall pick by the Minnesota Timberwolves and became the first NBA player drafted directly out of high school in 20 years.

Garnett made an immediate impact with the Minnesota Timberwolves leading them to eight-consecutive playoff appearances. In 2004, Garnett led the Timberwolves to the Western Conference Finals and was voted Most Valuable Player (MVP) in the 2003–04 season. Since his second season in the NBA, Garnett has been named to 14 All-Star Games, winning the All-Star MVP award in 2003, and is currently tied for 3rd-most All-Star selections in NBA history.^{[n 1]} He was awarded the regular season's NBA Defensive Player of the Year in the 2007–08 season and has been a nine-time member of the All-NBA Teams selection and a twelve-time member of the All-Defensive Teams selection.^[3] Garnett currently holds several all-time Timberwolves franchise records.

After spending 12 seasons with the Minnesota Timberwolves, Garnett was traded to the Boston Celtics in a blockbuster trade in 2007. In his first year with the Celtics, he helped lead them to their first NBA championship since 1986.

Early life[link]

Kevin Garnett was born in Greenville, South Carolina to Shirley Garnett and O'Lewis McCullough, and was the second of his mother's three children.^[4] After divorcing McCullough, Shirley Garnett raised Kevin and his two siblings. She then re-married and moved the family to Mauldin, South Carolina when Kevin Garnett was twelve.^[4]

Garnett fell in love with the sport of basketball while attending Hillcrest Middle School, although he did not play organized ball until high school. In his first three high school years, Garnett played for Mauldin High School. However, during the summer prior to his senior year of high school, Garnett was in the general vicinity of a fight between black and white students. Although not directly involved, Garnett was one of three students arrested for second-degree lynching, a charge he managed to expunge through pre-trial intervention.^[5] Due to the racially charged incident and fearful of being a target, Garnett decided to leave Mauldin.^[6] He transferred to Farragut Career Academy in Chicago, Illinois for his senior year of high school. He led Farragut to a 28–2 record and was named National High School Player of the Year by USA Today. He was named Mr. Basketball for the State of Illinois after averaging 25.2 points, 17.9 rebounds, 6.7 assists and 6.5 blocks while shooting 66.8% from the field. In four years of high school, Garnett posted an impressive 2,553 points, 1,809 rebounds and 737 blocked shots. He was named the Most Outstanding Player at the McDonald's All-American Game after registering 18 points, 11 rebounds, 4 assists and 3 blocked shots, and then declared himself eligible for the 1995 NBA Draft.^[7] Garnett played alongside Ronnie Fields in high school, who also followed a professional career. Garnett also excelled in soccer during his high school days. To mark the 35th anniversary of the McDonald’s All American High School Boys Basketball Game, Garnett was honored as one of 35 Greatest McDonald's All Americans.^[8]

NBA career[link]

Minnesota Timberwolves[link]

Early years (1995–1997)[link]

Garnett was drafted with the fifth pick of the 1995 NBA Draft by the struggling Minnesota Timberwolves, and became the first player to be drafted directly out of high school since 1975.^[9] After joining the NBA for the 1989–90 season, the Timberwolves had not won more than 29 games in any season.^[10] In Garnett's rookie season, the Timberwolves were in the midst of a transition phase; they replaced Bill Blair with Flip Saunders as head coach early in the season and made several trades. Garnett initially came off the bench in his rookie year, but moved into the starting lineup soon after Saunders became head coach. In his rookie year, Garnett and fellow newcomer Tom Gugliotta carried the scoring load. Garnett did not immediately leap to stardom as later prep-to-pro prospects such as Amar'e Stoudemire, LeBron James and Dwight Howard would, but he did have a very respectable rookie year. He averaged 10.4 points, 6.3 rebounds and 1.8 assists per game and was voted into the All-Rookie Second Team.^[3] Despite having some promising players, the Timberwolves suffered through their seventh consecutive sub-30 win season and failed to make the playoffs. At the time Garnett was the youngest NBA player in history at 19 years and 11 months of age.^[7]

Prior to the 1996–97 season, the Timberwolves made a draft-day trade for point guard Stephon Marbury of the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets. During the season Garnett posted improving averages of 17.0 points, 8.0 rebounds, 3.1 assists, 2.1 blocks and 1.7 steals.^[3] He also had two games where he registered eight blocks.^[7] With a 40–42 record, the Timberwolves made their first playoff appearance in franchise history, Garnett and Gugliotta made their first All-Star appearances, and Marbury established himself as a valuable young lead guard. However, the Houston Rockets, led by Hakeem Olajuwon, Clyde Drexler, and Charles Barkley proved to be too much as the Timberwolves were swept 3–0 in the first round of the 1997 NBA Playoffs.

Franchise player (1997–2001)[link]

During the 1997–98 NBA season, the Timberwolves and Garnett agreed on a six-year contract extension that was worth an unparalleled $126 million.^[7] The contract was a risky move and many pundits^[who?] speculated that the deal would make it impossible for the Wolves to sign new players or even keep their own. The enormous size of Garnett's contract was considered, by numerous sports writers, a major cause of labor tensions between players and owners that led to a lockout which shortened the 1998–99 NBA season. Despite the furor over his new contract, Garnett continued to improve, averaging 18.5 points, 9.6 rebounds, 4.2 assists, 1.8 blocks, and 1.7 steals per game. Again, he was an All-Star, and the Timberwolves finished with their first winning record in franchise history (45–37 for the season). For the second consecutive year the young Timberwolves bowed out of the playoffs in the first round, this time losing 2–3 against the Seattle SuperSonics and superstar point guard Gary Payton. The two wins against the Sonics marked the Wolves' first-ever playoff game wins. The off-season started poorly for the Timberwolves though as 20-point per game scorer Tom Gugliotta left for the Phoenix Suns.

Garnett as a member of the Minnesota Timberwolves

In the lockout-shortened season that followed, Garnett broke through as a superstar. Putting up stats of 20.8 points, 10.4 rebounds, 4.3 assists and 1.8 blocks per game,^[3] he was named to the All-NBA Third Team. However, midway through the season Stephon Marbury was traded to the New Jersey Nets. Although the Wolves received two-time All-Star Terrell Brandon in return, they were not able to overcome the discord and limped into the playoffs as the 8th seed with a 25–25 record. The Wolves were defeated in the first round again, this time losing 1–3 to the eventual champion San Antonio Spurs who were led by young superstar and eventual NBA Finals MVP Tim Duncan. In the next season, Garnett continued his notable play, averaging 22.9 points, 11.8 rebounds, 5.0 assists, 1.6 blocks and 1.5 steals per game and made the first of his four All-NBA First Team appearances.^[3] Assisted by sharpshooting rookie forward Wally Szczerbiak and steady veteran Brandon, the Wolves posted a franchise-best 50–32 record, but succumbed in the first round to the Portland Trail Blazers 3–1.

In the 1999–2000 NBA season, Timberwolves' guard Malik Sealy was killed by a drunk driver and the NBA ruled that the free agent signing of Joe Smith was illegal. The NBA punished the team for the illegal signing by stripping the team of three first-round draft picks, fining Glen Taylor (the owner of the team) $3.5 million, and banning general manager Kevin McHale for one year. Garnett led the Wolves to a 47–35 record and made the All-NBA Second Team, but again, the Wolves did not survive the first round of the playoffs, losing to the Spurs 3–1.

MVP and division champions (2001–2004)[link]

In the 2001–02 season, Garnett posted another notable season, his averages of 21.2 points, 12.1 rebounds, 5.2 assists, 1.6 blocks and 1.2 steals per game enough for another All-NBA Second Team nomination. However, the Timberwolves bowed out in the first round for the sixth consecutive time, this time getting swept 3–0 by the Dallas Mavericks led by Michael Finley, Steve Nash and Dirk Nowitzki. Garnett's next season was one of the best of his career, his 23.0 ppg / 13.0 rpg / 6.0 apg / 1.6 bpg / 1.4 spg season earning him his second All-NBA First Team nomination and second place in the MVP voting.^[7] The Timberwolves posted a good 51–31 record, but for the seventh consecutive time, they did not make it out of the first round, this time losing to the Los Angeles Lakers, 4 games to 2.

In the 2003–04 season, things finally seemed to come together for Garnett. In past years, the Wolves had practically been a one-man show, but now, the Timberwolves had made two valuable acquisitions: highly talented but volatile swingman Latrell Sprewell and the seasoned two-time NBA champion Sam Cassell, who supplanted Troy Hudson at point guard. In addition, defensive center Ervin Johnson complemented the inconsistent Michael Olowokandi. Powered by the best supporting cast in his career, Garnett averaged 24.2 points, 13.9 rebounds, 5.0 assists, 2.2 blocks and 1.5 steals per game for the season. Having recorded career highs in points, rebounds, blocks and leading the league rebounds, Garnett was named the league Most Valuable Player for the first time in his career.^[3] With a franchise-record 58 wins, the Wolves stormed into the playoffs, and finally vanquished their playoff bane by defeating the Denver Nuggets 4–1 in the first round. After disposing of the strong Sacramento Kings 4–3 in the Western Conference Semifinals, Garnett and the Timberwolves met the Lakers. Against the Lakers, playmaker Cassell went down with a back injury. With reserve point guard Hudson also injured, the Timberwolves alternated between third playmaker Darrick Martin and shooting guard Fred Hoiberg at the "one", or even running Garnett himself as point forward or a real point guard. The Los Angeles Lakers pulled off a 4–2 victory in the series.

Frustration (2004–2007)[link]

In the 2004–05 season, Garnett was named to the All-NBA Second Team,^[3] but the Timberwolves failed to make the playoffs for the first time in eight years with a record of 44–38. The 2005–06 season brought more frustration for Garnett. Sprewell turned down a 3-year $21 million dollar extension, and the Wolves wary of his injuries and age, traded Cassell for the much less effective Marko Jaric, and the team record for '05–'06 fell to 33–49. Despite Garnett's play, the team logged the second worst record since Garnett joined the franchise. On 10 May 2007 Garnett was named to the All-NBA Third Team.

During the 2007 off-season, Taylor admitted that although he had planned on retaining Garnett, he would finally listen to trade offers.^[11] Garnett's name was mentioned in various trade rumors involving the Chicago Bulls, Los Angeles Lakers, Golden State Warriors, Indiana Pacers, Boston Celtics, Phoenix Suns, and Dallas Mavericks.^{[12][13][14][15][16]}

Boston Celtics (2007–present)[link]

Garnett in Game 4 of the 2008 NBA Playoffs against the Atlanta Hawks.

Garnett dunking a ball in a game against the Washington Wizards

On July 31, 2007, Garnett was traded to the Boston Celtics in exchange for Al Jefferson, Ryan Gomes, Sebastian Telfair, Gerald Green, Theo Ratliff, cash considerations, Boston's 2009 first-round draft pick (top 3 protected) and the 2009 first-round pick Minnesota had traded to Boston in the Ricky Davis-Wally Szczerbiak trade of 2006.^[17] The 7-for-1 deal constitutes the largest number of players traded for a single player in league history.^[18] At the time of the trade, Garnett had the longest current tenure of any player in the NBA with one team, having played for the Timberwolves for his first 12 seasons (a total of 927 games). Garnett said that he was proud to be a part of the Celtics, and hoped to continue its proud tradition and basketball success.^[19][20][21] On the day the trade was announced, Garnett signed a three-year $60 million contract extension that would start after his prior deal ran out in 2009. On August 1, 2007 the day after signing his Celtics contract, Garnett threw the ceremonial first pitch at Fenway Park prior to a Red Sox-Orioles game. Garnett has claimed to be a long-time Red Sox fan.^[22]

The trade for Garnett had many experts speculating that the Celtics would have a resurgence during the 2007–08 season.^[23] The combination of Paul Pierce, Ray Allen, and Garnett were almost automatically nicknamed "The Big Three" by the media, after the Larry Bird, Kevin McHale, and Robert Parish trio.^[24] Garnett wore jersey number 5 for the Celtics since his number with the Timberwolves, number 21, was retired by the Celtics, previously worn by Bill Sharman. He made his Boston debut with a strong performance against the Washington Wizards, with 22 points and 20 rebounds.^[25] He also led all players in voting for the 2008 NBA All-Star Game. Garnett received 2,399,148 votes, the sixth highest total in NBA All-Star balloting history.^[26] However, Garnett was unable to play due to an abdominal strain, and Detroit Pistons forward Rasheed Wallace was named by NBA Commissioner David Stern to replace him.^[27][28] East All-Star head coach Doc Rivers replaced Garnett with Toronto Raptors forward Chris Bosh in the starting lineup.^[29] Garnett passed 20,000 points for his career, becoming the 32nd player in NBA history to reach the mark,^[30] with a layup in the 2nd quarter against the Memphis Grizzlies on March 8, 2008.^[31] On April 22, 2008, Garnett was named the NBA Defensive Player of the Year for the 2007–08 season.^[32][33] It was the only major award a Celtic player had not claimed since the franchise's foundation in 1946.^[34] However, Garnett claimed it was a team effort which helped him win the award.^[35] Garnett was also third in MVP voting for the year, behind only Kobe Bryant and Chris Paul.^[36] Garnett helped the Celtics to their 17th NBA Championship, with 26 points and 14 rebounds in Game 6 of the NBA Finals. During that championship season, Garnett and Celtics legend Bill Russell had heart to heart conversations together which were captured on television.^[37] On June 18, 2008, Garnett and Ray Allen appeared on the Late Show with David Letterman, soon after winning the championship.^[38]

In the 2008–09 season, Garnett started all of the 57 games he was able to suit up for. He averaged 15.8 points 8.5 rebounds and 2.5 assists. On October 31, 2008, Garnett became the youngest player in NBA history to reach 1,000 career games, at 32 years and 165 days.^[39][40] Garnett earned his twelfth consecutive All-Star Game start on February 15, 2009. Following the All-Star Game, during a game against the Utah Jazz, Garnett strained his right knee late in the second quarter. The injury occurred on February 19, 2009, while attempting to go up for an alley-oop.^[41] He was forced to miss the next 14 games. Upon his return from the injury, he averaged 9 points and 4.5 rebounds in four games before being shut down for the season permanently, missing the final 25 games of the regular season including the 2009 NBA playoffs due to a right knee sprain.^[42] The Celtics would advance to the Eastern Conference Semi-Finals that year, only to be eliminated by the Orlando Magic.

In the 2009–2010 season, Garnett and the Celtics, joined by newly signed free agent Rasheed Wallace, struggled with injuries and inconsistency throughout much of the regular season and earned the 4th seed in the Eastern Conference playoffs. Garnett was selected to play in the 2010 NBA All-Star Game (his 13th All-Star Game selection). Despite being written off by nearly every major sports analyst, the Celtics elevated their play and consistently dominated opponents much as they did during their 2008 Championship run. They eliminated the Miami Heat, Cleveland Cavaliers, and Orlando Magic to advance to face the Los Angeles Lakers in the 2010 NBA Finals. The 2010 Finals went to a decisive seventh game in Los Angeles, where the Celtics led well into the third quarter before the Lakers mounted a comeback and held on for the victory.^[43]

International career[link]

In the 2000 Summer Olympics, he won a gold medal as a member of the USA men's national basketball team. He declined to play in the 2004 Olympics.^[44]

Underestimated height[link]

Although Garnett is officially listed as 6 ft 11 in (2.11 m) by the NBA, he is widely accepted to be at least 7 ft 0 in (2.13 m) tall.^[45][46] During the 2007 NBA All-Star Game, Garnett admitted in an interview with Craig Sager to be "6 ft 11 in and some quarters" (2.12 m) tall.^[47] Measurements from the 1995 NBA Draft show the 19 year-old Garnett measured 6 ft 11 in (2.11 m) tall barefoot.^[48] In 1997, Garnett was measured by Minnesota Timberwolves training staff as 7 ft 1 in (2.16 m) tall in his basketball shoes.^[49]

Personal life[link]

In July 2004 Garnett married his longtime girlfriend Brandi Padilla during a private ceremony in California. The wedding was the reason he did not take part in the Athens 2004 Olympic games. Garnett is a cousin to former Los Angeles Lakers player Shammond Williams,^[50] and is the half brother of Louis McCullough, who played for the ABA's Syracuse Raging Bullz. Brandi's older sister Lisa is married to super producer Jimmy Jam. Their daughter Capri was born Friday 18 April 2008.^[51][52]

His nicknames include "The Big Ticket", "KG", "Da Kid" and formerly "The Franchise" (after being known as the Minnesota Timberwolves' franchise player).^[7]

In December 2011, Garnett agreed to become a limited shareholder of American-owned Italian Serie A soccer team A.S. Roma.^[53]

NBA career statistics[link]

Regular season[link]

Playoffs[link]

Achievements[link]

Garnett holds the Larry O'Brien Trophy at the championship parade of the 2008 NBA Champions Boston Celtics.

During his time in the league Garnett has established a long list of achievements, including:^[3]

• NBA Champion: 2008
• Olympic gold medal: 2000
• NBA Most Valuable Player: 2004
• NBA Defensive Player of the Year: 2008
• NBA All-Star Game MVP: 2003
• 14-time NBA All-Star: 1997—2011
  • Selected to 14 consecutive All-Star teams (1997-2011) (no game in 1999 due to lockout).
  • Selected, but did not play due to injury in 2008.
• 9-time All-NBA selection:

• First Team: 2000, 2003, 2004, 2008
• Second Team: 2001, 2002, 2005
• Third Team: 1999, 2007

• 12-time All-Defensive:

• First Team: 2000—2005, 2008—2009, 2011
• Second Team: 2006-2007, 2012

• NBA All-Rookie selection:

• Second team: 1996

• J. Walter Kennedy Citizenship Award: 2006
• Ranked #30 in SLAM Magazine's 2009 revision of the top 50 greatest players of all time (published in the August 2009 issue)^[54]

See also[link]

• List of National Basketball Association career blocks leaders
• List of National Basketball Association career free throw scoring leaders
• List of National Basketball Association career rebounding leaders
• List of National Basketball Association career scoring leaders
• List of National Basketball Association career steals leaders
• List of National Basketball Association career turnovers leaders
• List of National Basketball Association career playoff rebounding leaders
• List of National Basketball Association career playoff blocks leaders
• List of National Basketball Association season rebounding leaders

Notes[link]

References[link]

External links[link]

Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Kevin Garnett

• Kevin Garnett at NBA.com
• Kevin Garnett at Basketball-Reference.com
• Kevin Garnett Video at ESPN