The stretch from 2007 to 2010 might not have been the best of Garnett — I’d nominate his 2003-04 MVP season in Minnesota — but it represented his greatest impact. It wasn’t felt only in Boston, where he helped restore the franchise to glory. It was felt around the league. The preps-to-pros path that he cleared was echoed at the highest levels of hoops. Three straight Finals matchups featured high school players on both sides of the marquee: Garnett and Kobe Bryant, plus Dwight Howard. Of course, that was bookended by LeBron James in 2007 and from 2011 to the present.
The owners and front-office executives didn’t want the risk and unpredictability of drafting high school players. That’s why they eliminated the opportunity, with the players union’s compliance. It wasn’t Garnett’s fault that not every teenager could match his standards.
But Garnett should get credit that Kobe and LeBron were able to surpass him. Maybe they would have entered the league after high school regardless (Kobe insists he’d already made up his mind before KG). Garnett’s success removed doubt that they were making the right move.
Both the Lakers and Cavaliers were better off for adding them as soon as they had their high school diplomas in hand.
Garnett altered a decade of drafts. He changed the salary structure. He altered superstar assemblies.
As Garnett exits the NBA, he leaves with LeBron James back in Cleveland as the reigning champion and with Kevin Durant joining the Golden State Warriors to form a super-superteam. Garnett is gone, and he’s never been more relevant.
Article Appeared @http://www.espn.com/nba/story/_/id/17621201/nba-kevin-garnett-leaves-nba-generation-most-influential-star