Kevin Garnett Named the 5 Best Power Forwards of All-Time

Kevin Garnett has always been a no-filter type of player. So when he speaks about the NBA, best believe it’s coming straight from the heart.

Similar to when he played — going all gas, no brakes, and wearing his heart on his sleeve — his opinions carry that same intensity.

Garnett recently revealed his top five NBA power forwards of all time. While the list included some expected legends, it also featured a few surprises.

One all-time great didn’t land in the top spot where most would place him. Instead, the former NBA Champion, 2003-04 NBA MVP, and 2007-08 Defensive Player of the Year went with a somewhat eyebrow-raising choice who rarely gets mentioned in these discussions.

Nonetheless, his picks show exactly how his personal rivalries and respect towards his peers shaped his perspective on the game. Here are Kevin Garnett’s top five power forwards of all time.

5

Chris Webber

Those who watched the NBA in the 1990s and early 2000s know how terrific Chris Webber was. However, he often gets forgotten in these kinds of conversations because his resume isn’t as decorated as some of the all-time greats. Nonetheless, Garnett made sure Webber got his due.

As only he can express, Garnett gave props to Webber’s fire and competitiveness every time they played against each other. They faced each other 38 times in their careers, with both splitting the matchups at an even 19-19.

Garnett did get the better of Webber in their lone playoff series against each other when the Timberwolves beat the Kings in a seven-game war in the 2004 Western Conference semifinals.

A classic battle, the series came down to the last shot, where Webber was able to get a clean look at a three-pointer after getting Garnett to bite on a pump-fake. Unfortunately for Webber, the shot rimmed out and Garnett and the Timberwolves moved on.

4

Charles Barkley

Garnett went with Charles Barkley as number four. As he mentioned, he only experienced playing against Barkley during the twilight of the Hall of Famer’s career. But seeing the 11-time All-Star dominate from the late 80s to the early 90s, KG made sure to give him some love.

Despite standing just 6-foot-4, Barkley played much bigger than his size. He was a monster on the glass and was one of the most explosive and versatile forwards in the league.

Barkley, in the early 90s, gave Michael Jordan a run for his money as the best player in the league. He won the MVP award in the 1992-93 season and led the Phoenix Suns to the NBA Finals, where they faced the Chicago Bulls. While they gave Chicago a tough test, they just caught Jordan and company, who were coming off back-to-back titles, were just too much to overcome.

Though Barkley never won a ring, many, including KG, still regard him as one of the best power forwards to play the game. Garnett and Barkley have since become two of the most unfiltered media personalities in the NBA. The two have even engaged in some friendly banter on the set. Nonetheless, The Big Ticket has a lot of love for the Chuckster.

3

Karl Malone

Garnett also gave his flowers to Utah Jazz legend Karl Malone. A 19-year NBA veteran, Malone was a dominant force in the league for over 15 seasons. He and John Stockton turned the Jazz into perennial Western Conference contenders, especially in the late 90s.

Unfortunately, though they reached the Finals twice, they never accomplished the ultimate goal as they ran into Michael Jordan’s Chicago Bulls in both instances.

Garnett and Malone’s primes didn’t really coincide with each other. Malone was winning MVPs and going to the Finals during the first years of Garnett’s career.

However, they did meet once in the postseason back in 2004, during Garnett’s MVP campaign and Malone’s final year in the league with the Los Angeles Lakers. The Lakers beat the Timberwolves in the Western Conference Finals, 4-2.

Malone’s off-court controversies have somewhat tainted his legacy. But there’s no doubt he’s one of the best power forwards to ever play in the NBA.

2

Tim Duncan

Garnett and Tim Duncan were arguably the two best power forwards throughout the 2000s. The two had plenty of battles against each other in the Western Conference during the early 2000s.

However, The Big Fundamental had The Big Ticket’s number for the most part. He had a 27-17 record against KG in the regular season and his Spurs took down Garnett’s Timberwolves, 3-1, in the first round of both the 1999 and 2001 NBA Playoffs.

Normally, these kinds of historical top power forwards lists end with Duncan. The San Antonio Spurs icon is widely regarded as the greatest power forward of all time. However, Garnett gave that distinction to one underrated 2000s star.

1

Rasheed Wallace

The big shock, Garnett went with Rasheed Wallace as his top power forward of all time. This is probably the first time anyone has given Wallace that distinction, much less, include him in the top five. But Garnett did explain why he went with the four-time NBA All-Star.

To his credit, Wallace did have a terrific 16-year NBA career. He was a key cog in the Detroit Pistons’ championship team that upset the L.A. Lakers in the 2004 NBA Finals. As Garnett alluded to, he had a great all-around game and was ahead of his time. With his ability to stretch the floor, he’d be a quintessential big in today’s NBA.

But as great as he was, Wallace was nowhere near Tim Duncan. The Big Fundamental defined what it means to be a winner. Apart from being a five-time champion, he never missed the postseason in his 19-year NBA career.

This could be just a case of Garnett giving Wallace his flowers. But to say he’s the greatest power forward ever may be a bit of a stretch.