This is Part 2. See Part 1 here:
kzfaq.info/get/bejne/nbN8Z7yhyquom4E.html
This is one of the first and most significant biographical pieces of Kevin Garnett's career. The words from this interview are still etched in my mind, and this profile piece remains my favorite KG feature of all time.
It aired on NBC around the start of the 1999 Playoffs -- either the 8th seeded Timberwolves were about to begin the First Round series against the top seeded Spurs, or the series had already started, I can't quite recall.
For some context, the 1998-1999 season -- post-lockout, MJ's second retirement, ballooned Shawn Kemp -- was KG's fourth year, during which Stephon Marbury forced his way out. KG, just 22-years-old and now teamed with Terrell Brandon, did his best to hold the fort by averaging 20.8 points, 10.4 rebounds, 4.3 assists, 1.8 blocks, 1.7 steals. He played in 47 of 50 games, missing three games due to dehydration brought on by the flu. Still, he led the Timberwolves to a 25-25 record, good enough to capture the final Playoff spot, setting up a First Round date with the top seeded San Antonio Spurs. Kevin Garnett believed that the Timberwolves would "shock the world" and take down the Spurs. The Spurs were led by David Robinson and Tim Duncan, the latter of whom was implicitly battling KG for the title as the best young player in the game.
So that set the backdrop for this NBC feature. In fact, the feature was done in parallel to the Sports Illustrated cover story (the May 3, 1999 issue, with the cover line, "The Kid Who Changed the Game" and Leigh Montville's story "Howlin' Wolf"). NBC's feature complemented the SI's story very well -- you can even see the magazine issue in the background, along with Walter Iooss Jr.'s legendary and iconic portrait -- so the two sort of went hand-in-hand. Same time, same tone, same anecdotes, same outlook.
You can read the fantastic SI story here. Matter of fact, you can't even call yourself a Kevin Garnett fan if you've never read it:
sportsillustrated.cnn.com/vault/article/magazine/MAG1015792/index.htm
Anyway, for those of y'all who were too young at the time, or if you've never read that SI article or seen this NBC feature, you'll learn a lot about Kevin Garnett in this video, as the story and legend of Kevin Maurice Garnett were revealed to the world for the first time.
And if you get nothing out it, at least you'll see the (then) 22-year-old Kevin Garnett in glasses lol.
Part 2 of 2.