Earlier last week, Anthony Edwards made the headlines with a 51-point performance in a Minnesota Timberwolves home win. In the process, the 22-year-old paid tribute to the franchise icon, Kevin Garnett, by embracing the latter’s iconic ’21 finger sleeve’. The efforts of the youngster caught the eyes of KG as he later broke down the intricate lore regarding his signature look.
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During an episode of KG Certified, the 47-year-old admitted to using the accessory since entering the NBA. Following this, the 2008 champion shed light on the reason behind the need for finger sleeves before pointing out their popularity. Consequently, Garnett used to have “a million of these” in the franchise’s equipment room, paving the way for Ant to get his hands on one of them.
KG later highlighted the origin story of this look on X (formerly Twitter) while showcasing his admiration for Edwards. He wrote, “Much love and respect to the young lord Anthony Edwards for rockin’ that finger sleeve…A lot of people don’t know that I actually wore that because of injury I had in my rookie year. It just stuck and I ended up rockin’ it my entire career. Dope to see Ant bringin back the finger sleeves”.
The praise caught the eyes of the Timberwolves youngster. Later on, he expressed his gratitude for Garnett’s comments, mentioning, “Fasho OG”.
This unique bond between the stars of two generations certainly served as a unique moment in NBA history. Alongside bonding Edwards with Garnett, the instance almost seemed like a moment that passed the torch from the former franchise player to the current. Perhaps Edwards will be able to do the one thing Garnett couldn’t do for the Timberwolves – bring them a championship. However, that remains to be seen.
Besides, given the beef KG has had with the franchise in recent times, the torch may not have been his to pass in the first place.
A look into the beef between Kevin Garnett and the Minnesota Timberwolves
Following KG’s retirement in 2016, he was supposed to join Flip Saunders’ coaching unit. However, the sudden death of the then-head coach put Garnett in a bad situation, with his opportunity essentially having been taken away. Further, franchise owner, Glen Taylor, allegedly intervened, effectively sealing that the legend would never be able to join the franchise while he was still in charge.
It soured the relationship between them, with Garnett periodically voicing his displeasure. The situation failed to de-escalate over time with KG even refusing to participate in the jersey retirement ceremony. In April 2020, he expressed his feelings to The Athletic’s Shams Charania while revealing his stance.
“Glen knows where I’m at, I’m not entertaining it. First of all, it’s not genuine. Two, he’s getting pressure from a lot of fans and, I guess, the community there. Glen and I had an understanding before Flip died, and when Flip died, that understanding went with Flip. For that, I won’t forgive Glen,” he mentioned.
So, while the recent situation may be extremely heart-warming, it may not be enough to fix this damaged relationship. However, it still provided joy to the franchise’s fans who remain devoted to their greatest player of all time.
