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Garnett's loud place in basketball history is secure

Jesse Johnson-USA TODAY Sports

A popular adage when eulogizing an athlete's career is they let their game do the talking. The same can't be said for Kevin Garnett, whose bark was as notorious as his Hall of Fame bite before, during, and after almost all of his 1,605 NBA contests.

But that's not to say Garnett's game didn't speak for itself, of course.

Over the course of 21 years in the Association, "The Big Ticket" amassed greater than 26,000 points, nearly 15,000 rebounds, and over 5,000 assists, which says nothing of his prolific block, steal, playoff, and advanced numbers.

Players with 190+ Win Shares & 90+ VORP Win Shares VORP
Michael Jordan (1984-2003) 214.0 104.4
Karl Malone (1985-2004) 234.6 102.5
Kevin Garnett (1995-2016) 191.4 94.0
LeBron James (2003-2016) 192.5 108.6

He's a 15-time All-Star, a nine-time All-NBA selection, an NBA MVP, and he might've been the best player on the planet for a half-decade run to open the 21st century.

Sure, sometimes he took things too far, and that aforementioned bark nearly drowned out his bite. He probably could've described the intensity of a Game 7 without alluding to war and the dizzying array of weaponry he'd bring to battle. He didn't have to bully poor Jose Calderon and a who's who of smaller, lesser, stars over the years. He surely didn't need to say whatever it is he said to Carmelo Anthony about Melo's better half - which, by the way, LaLa says had nothing to do with Cheerios.

But all of that - the trash talk, the bullying, the head-banging, growling intensity - is what made K.G. the fascinating, sometimes polarizing, and always invigorating character behind the trend-setting basketball talent that was Garnett.

Trend-setter

When Garnett was drafted fifth overall out of Farragut Career Academy by the Minnesota Timberwolves in 1995, he became the league's first preps-to-pros player in 20 years.

As he dominated nearly every facet of the game on both ends of the floor while knocking down long jumper after long jumper, he set the stage for modern big men, bridging the gap until names like Dirk, Pau, Bosh, and Brow came along at various points in his career.

When he finally overcame his fierce loyalty to the city of Minneapolis and okayed a trade to Boston, he ushered in a new, modern era of superteams and restored Celtics lore.

You'd be hard-pressed to find a basketball-loving soul in Minnesota, Boston, Brooklyn, or anywhere else for that matter, who ever questioned whether Garnett's game would back up his talk, or whether he'd be ready to take care of business on a given night.

Case in point, during a sensational six-year run between 1999-2005, in which Garnett averaged better than 22 points, 12 rebounds, five assists, a block, and a steal while logging 39.5 minutes, he missed a grant total of three games.

Beyond all those numbers, banner moments, and soundbites, however, the most telling and complimentary achievement of his basketball career is that for as long as the game's around, you won't be able to tell its complete history without a chapter on Kevin Garnett, and his impact on it.

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