Kevin McHale's surprising Timberwolves story about Kevin Garnett

Every Minnesota Timberwolves fan is aware of the monumental impact Kevin Garnett has had on the franchise. The team's first true superstar, KG defined Timberwolves basketball from the mid-90s when he was drafted all the way through the mid-2000s when he was reaching his peak as an individual talent and taking Minnesota to new heights.

Even newer Wolves fans know about Garnett's massive contributions to the franchise. But what many do not know is how he originally wound up in the Twin Cities. Entering the 1995 NBA Draft pool directly from high school, there were legitimate questions about KG's readiness to play in a league as competitive and physical as the National Basketball Association.

Enter Kevin McHale. The former Celtics legend is known for being one of the key pieces of Boston's 1980s run of dominance. He earned two Sixth Man of the Year awards in his career while going on to win three championships with the Celtics. In 1995, he had retired from playing and was working as part of the Timberwolves' front office.

Kevin McHale foresaw Kevin Garnett's greatness

When Minnesota drafted Garnett with the fifth overall pick that year, McHale noticed some things about the new Wolves rookie right away. One characteristic of this raw young talent that stuck out was his work ethic. "He literally had nothing left at the end of practice every single day," said McHale. "The energy that that guy had to put into basketball – I’ve seen guys work really hard, I’ve never seen anybody work harder than KG."

This absolutely lines up with what we saw from Kevin Garnett during the entirety of his playing career, whether in Minnesota or elsewhere. He was always known as one of the fiercest competitors in the business, and his love for basketball showed every time he stepped on the floor.

While it is not surprising that KG brought this intensity from day one, it is perhaps more surprising that McHale saw the incredible potential of Garnett so early. It can be incredibly difficult to discern what any high-level prospect will end up becoming at the end of his career, but KG's passion was clearly palpable.

In a way, Kevin McHale probably foresaw the 2000s-era Timberwolves in his mind before any fans could guess what the team would end up becoming. It is stories like these that serve to further the legacy of Garnett and everything he did for Minnesota.