Kevin Garnett, at the age of 19, was drafted by the Timberwolves. He was confident in his abilities to succeed in the NBA, especially after an experience he had as a high schooler. Garnett snuck into a Bulls practice and went head-to-head with Scottie Pippen, which solidified his belief in his skills.
Before Kevin Garnett, there were a few NBA players who entered the league straight out of high school. However, Garnett’s decision to declare for the draft in 1995 really opened the floodgates. He was selected by the Minnesota Timberwolves as the fifth overall pick. This decision was met with controversy, as many questioned his physical and emotional maturity to compete with the best players in the world. But Garnett proved them wrong and had a successful career that led to his induction into the Basketball Hall of Fame.
In his memoir, KG: A to Z: An Uncensored Encyclopedia of Life, Basketball, and Everything in Between, Garnett shared a story from his high school days. He had moved to Chicago for his senior year after an incident that resulted in his arrest. Despite this setback, Garnett had already gained attention for his basketball skills. One day, he and a friend heard that the Bulls were practicing at a Hilton in Chicago. They managed to sneak into the gym and watched the team, including Michael Jordan and Scottie Pippen, for about an hour. Eventually, a security guard noticed them and pointed at Garnett, inviting him to join the practice.
Garnett accepted the invitation and found himself face-to-face with Pippen. Pippen doubted Garnett’s abilities, calling him a “high school kid.” But Jordan gave Garnett a chance to prove himself by assigning him to guard Pippen. Despite Pippen’s initial three-point shot, Garnett responded with a dunk and quickly found his rhythm, successfully matching up against an NBA player who was more than 10 years older than him.
After the game, Garnett was approached by Isiah Thomas, a Chicago native who had been watching from the sidelines. Thomas was impressed by Garnett’s performance and told him that he could play in the league right now. This encounter made Garnett realize that he had what it took to skip college and pursue a career in the NBA.
And so, Kevin Garnett’s journey began, and he went on to have a successful career in the NBA.
According to the Source brobible.com