Insider Special: MVP Watch

[Guest]

Garnett seems destined for the trophy

by Terry Brown

Thursday, March 27 Updated 3:35 PM EST

What do we do now that Kevin Garnett has corrupted our kids? Before LeBron James, there was Amare Stoudemire, possibly the first high schooler to be named Rookie of the Year. Before Amare Stoudemire, there was Kwame Brown, the first high schooler to be drafted No. 1 overall. Before Kwame Brown, there was Kobe Bryant, the first high schooler to win an NBA Title. Before Kobe Bryant, there was Tracy McGrady, the first high schooler to lead the league in scoring. And before Tracy McGrady, there was Kevin Garnett. Period. Stop. My X-Box doesn't go back any further.

Garnett

With the fifth pick of the 1995 draft, the Minnesota Timberwolves select Kevin Garnett of Farragut Academy High School.

Now, any ninth-grader with an agitated pituitary gland is gonna think he can score a career-high 23.2 points per game despite being double and triple-teamed because the only other guy who can shoot and chew gum at the same time on the team has missed 30 games this year.

Any eighth-grader is gonna think he can grab a career-high 13.3 rebounds per game despite playing small forward and also leading his team in scoring, assists, steals, minutes and blocks any minute now.

Any seventh-grader is gonna think he can lead the league in triple-doubles and double-doubles despite being officially listed at least an inch short at 6-foot-11.

Even if that seventh-, eighth- or nine-grader hasn't won a single playoff series yet, either.

But I guess there's always got to be a first.

After all, there's a Kevin Garnett, isn't there?

And we decided to give him $200 million-plus before completing only his third professional season. We decided that he could pass like a point guard, dribble like a shooting guard and play small forward despite being 7-feet tall. And in a few weeks, we will decide to name him the NBA's Most Valuable Player.

Then what are we to do after we've corrupted Kevin Garnett?

The Top 10 Contenders

1. Kevin Garnett, Minnesota Timberwolves

Numbers: 23.2 ppg, 13.3 rpg, 5.9 apg, 1.4 spg, 1.5 bpg, 49% field, 29% three, 74% line

See above

2. Tim Duncan, San Antonio Spurs

Numbers: 223.4 ppg, 12.9 rpg, 3.9 apg, 0.6 spg, 2.9 bpg, 50% field, 29% three, 71% line

Either we made a mistake last year or this guy actually got better a year after winning it and we're making a mistake this year. Or both.

3. Kobe Bryant, Los Angeles Lakers

Numbers: 30.1 ppg, 6.9 rpg, 5.9 apg, 2.2 spg, 0.9 bpg, 45% field, 37% three, 85% line

Remains the best player in the game today but, then again, when has that ever meant anything with this award?

3. Tracy McGrady, Orlando Magic

Numbers: 32.2 ppg, 6.5 rpg, 5.5 apg, 1.6 spg, 0.7 bpg, 46% field, 38% three, 80% line

Scoring title will have to do.

5. Dirk Nowitzki, Dallas Mavericks

Numbers: 24.4 ppg, 9.9 rpg, 2.9 apg, 1.3 spg, 1.1 bpg, 46% field, 36% three, 86% line

Regular-season title will have to do.

6. Chris Webber, Sacramento Kings

Numbers: 23 ppg, 10.8 rpg, 5.6 apg, 1.6 spg, 1.4 bpg, 46% field, 26% three, 58% line

Believe it or not, CWebb has played only one more game than Shaq has this entire season but you don't hear anybody making up any excuses for him. Which probably has something to do with the fact that his team remains 10 games ahead of the Big Fella.

7. Allen Iverson, Philadelphia 76ers

Numbers: 27.3 ppg, 4.1 rpg, 5.1 apg, 2.6 spg, 0.1 bpg, 41% field, 27% three, 76% line

Let me make this as simple as possible. No way the last National Team finishes sixth with Iverson, me, you and two guys wearing two headbands and two wristbands each at your local YMCA.

8. Jason Kidd, New Jersey Nets

Numbers: 19 ppg, 6.3 rpg, 8.7 apg, 2.2 spg, 0.3 bpg, 41% field, 34% three, 84% line

Last year's sentimental favorite has now played two-and-a-half seasons in Dallas, four-and-a-half in Phoenix and almost two in New Jersey. Shall we use the five-point loss to the Cavaliers on March 23, 2003 as the latest expiration date?

9. Shaquille O'Neal, Los Angeles Lakers

Numbers: 27.2 ppg, 11 rpg, 3.2 apg, 0.6 spg, 2.4 bpg, 56% field, 0% three, 62% line

Something tells me we're going to regret putting him this low, this close to the playoffs. On the other hand, we could put him at the top of this list or drop him off completely (apples, oranges, 7th seeds and all) and still feel the same way ...which should tell you why one of these parties is getting paid in excess of $12M a year and the other one isn't.

10. Paul Pierce, Boston Celtics

Numbers: 25.7 ppg, 7.3 rpg, 4.3 apg, 1.7 spg, 0.8 bpg, 41% field, 29% three, 81% line

Still here as much out of respect for what he did last season and what we expect him to do next year. If nothing else, scoring more than 6,000 points in three seasons has its privileges.