Awesome pair of Kevin Garnett game-worn shoes from his 1995-96 rookie season. The 6'11" future Hall of Famer was a raw teenager when the Minnesota Timberwolves drafted him straight out of high school with the fifth overall pick in 1995. At that time, he was the first high school player selected since 1975 and paved the way for a slew of teens to follow (starting with Kobe Bryant the next year). KG was known as "Da Kid" back then, but from the moment he stepped on an NBA floor he played like a man possessed. The T-Wolves were a bad team, but Garnett made them watchable and relevant. The consignor is a very reliable source, having served as the Celtics ball boy in the 1990's and been an elite high school player himself. On December 22, 1995, T-Wolves visited the Boston Garden to play the Celtics, and Garnett gifted him these shoes after the game. Garnett tallied 17 points that night on 6-9 from the field and 5-6 from the line in a very efficient 19 minutes off the bench. By mid-season he had earned a starting spot on the T-Wolves front line and finished his rookie year with averages of 10.4 points and 6.3 rebounds. Garnett made the All-Star Team in his second season, starting a remarkable stretch of 15 appearances in 17 seasons.
The black and white Nike Airs predate any signature model pair for Garnett and come in size 14. His feet were still growing when he wore these at age 19; he would wear a size 15 later in his career. Nothing fancy about the design. A mid-cut pair with suede-like exterior and thick cushioning around the ankle. The original laces are intact.The black material used in the mid-sole around the air bubble has begun to crack and flake off, primarily in the heel area of both shoes (more prominent on the right). However, there is no separation as of yet and the components remain intact. Some of this is due to the natural aging of 20-year-old shoes. And some is due to the amount of game use evident. Garnett has signed (i.e. initialed) the left shoe in faded black marker on the inner side, but the real treat are the four inscriptions. KG was known to write stuff on his game shoes, as photos on Getty do attest, giving props to his roots and other aspects of his life that had special meaning. His nickname "Da Kid" is inscribed on both, with his number "21" appearing in three places. Kevin grew up in South Carolina and played three years at Mauldin High School in Greenville, SC before transferring to Farragut Career Academy in Chicago, IL for his senior year. This explains the “S.C.” and “Chi-Town” shout-outs. Nice mementos from the very beginning of a career that will go down as one of the greatest ever by a power forward.
Letter of Provenance from former Celtics Ball Boy.
Pre-certified by PSA/DNA.