How Kevin Garnett made $326 million to become the highest-paid player in NBA history
In 1995, Kevin Garnett was a 6-foot-11, 220-pound senior in high school and it had been 20 years since a high school player went straight to the NBA.
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At 19, he chose to enter the NBA draft after failing to reach the minimum score on the ACT necessary for NCAA eligibility.
SOURCE: ESPN
In 1995, Kevin Garnett was a 6-foot-11, 220-pound senior in high school and it had been 20 years since a high school player went straight to the NBA.
![](https://farm6.staticflickr.com/5509/14030169573_d61302b42e_o.gif)
Ten years later, the NBA banned high school players from the draft and players like Greg Oden and Kevin Durant had to go to college for one year.
Garnett's three-year, $5.4 million rookie contract was modest by today's standards, and he made just $1.6 million his rookie season.
Garnett was incredibly lucky to be drafted in 1995, which came during a brief period in which players were granted free agency after just three years.
This allowed Garnett to sign a six-year, $126 million extension during the 1997-98 season at the age of 21.
With Garnett's contract a major factor, the NBA changed the rules on rookie contracts and put a cap on player salaries, but not until a new Collective Bargaining Agreement was reached following the 1999 lockout.
SOURCE: "The Wages of Wins"
By the final year of that deal, Garnett was making $28 million per year.
More importantly, Garnett was just 27 years old, was in the midst of his only MVP season, and was about to become a free agent for a second time.
This led to his second $100 million contract extension with the Timberwolves, a five-year deal worth exactly $100 million.
After the third year of that contract, Garnett was traded to the Celtics having already made $181 million with the Timberwolves. He was just 31 years old.
The Celtics immediately gave Garnett a three-year, $51.3 million extension to be added to the two years remaining on his last deal with the T'wolves.
SOURCE: ESPN.com
It was with the Celtics that Kevin Garnett won his only NBA title in 2008.
Garnett nearly retired after the 2011-12 season with $282 million in career earnings.
SOURCE: Boston.com
However, he decided to re-sign with the Celtics with a three-year, $36 million contract as Boston tried to make one more run with their aging roster.
After one season on the new contract, Garnett was traded to the Brooklyn Nets in a blockbuster deal that included eight players and three first-round draft picks.
That trade turned into a complete disaster in just the second season. Garnett was the final asset the Nets had from the trade and it was clear it was time to move on.
SOURCE: Business Insider
Garnett came full-circle and agreed a trade to send him home to the Minnesota Timberwolves in 2015.
At the time, the plan was to play two more seasons for the rebuilding T'wolves and then form a group with coach and team president Flip Saunders to buy the team using the more than $300 million he had already made as a player.
SOURCE: Business Insider
Garnett decided to play at least one more season and possibly two, signing a two-year contract worth $16 million.
Garnett, who is now 40 years old, has decided not to play the second year of the contract. As part of that deal, he can choose to take a front office job for the 2016-17 season.
Garnett is now walking away from his playing career, having made $326.3 million in his storied career.
Maybe he can then give baseball a shot.
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