Kevin Garnett
1995–96 to 2015–16 · 21 seasons
NBA player comparison
Kevin Garnett vs. Kevin McHale: Career comparison
Regular-season verdict
Kevin Garnett ranks higher in career impact
Kevin McHale
1980–81 to 1992–93 · 13 seasons
Impact comparison
#5LeadsCareer Impact RankPeak-weighted regular-season rank#157
+10.4LeadsPeak era-centered impactEstimated points per 100 possessions above that season's league average+4.3
+9.2LeadsBest 5 average impact+3.4
1.0LeadsBest 3 average finishAverage league place; closer to No. 1 is better15.7
3LeadsSeasons ranked No. 10
+7,631 ptsLeadsPoints above replacementCumulative regular-season value+2,509 pts
Career Impact Rank places Kevin Garnett #5 and Kevin McHale #157. It combines league finishes across each player's best three, five, and ten regular seasons, giving the most weight to the best three.
Regular season only. Impact figures are estimates; small gaps are not exact. Playoffs, awards and titles do not determine the verdict.
Career Impact RankSee exactly how both rankings are calculatedKevin Garnett1.500 · No. 5Kevin McHale20.453 · No. 157
Only the three league-finish windows below determine Career Impact Rank. Career Value and peak impact are separate measures; neither adds points to this calculation. Lower composite scores rank higher.
Kevin Garnett
1.500 composite · No. 5 all-time
| Window and finishes used | Average finish | Weight | Contribution |
|---|---|---|---|
| Best 3No. 12003–04Recorded box inputsIncludes bounded historical defense estimateNo. 12004–05Recorded box inputsIncludes bounded historical defense estimateNo. 12005–06Recorded box inputsIncludes bounded historical defense estimate | 1.000 | 50% | 0.500 |
| Best 5No. 12003–04Recorded box inputsIncludes bounded historical defense estimateNo. 12004–05Recorded box inputsIncludes bounded historical defense estimateNo. 12005–06Recorded box inputsIncludes bounded historical defense estimateNo. 21998–99Recorded box inputsIncludes bounded historical defense estimateNo. 22002–03Recorded box inputsIncludes bounded historical defense estimate | 1.400 | 30% | 0.420 |
| Best 10No. 12003–04Recorded box inputsIncludes bounded historical defense estimateNo. 12004–05Recorded box inputsIncludes bounded historical defense estimateNo. 12005–06Recorded box inputsIncludes bounded historical defense estimateNo. 21998–99Recorded box inputsIncludes bounded historical defense estimateNo. 22002–03Recorded box inputsIncludes bounded historical defense estimateNo. 41999–00Recorded box inputsIncludes bounded historical defense estimateNo. 42000–01Recorded box inputsIncludes bounded historical defense estimateNo. 42001–02Recorded box inputsIncludes bounded historical defense estimateNo. 52006–07Recorded box inputsIncludes bounded historical defense estimateNo. 52007–08Recorded box inputsIncludes bounded historical defense estimate | 2.900 | 20% | 0.580 |
0.500 + 0.420 + 0.580= 1.500
Kevin McHale
20.453 composite · No. 157 all-time
| Window and finishes used | Average finish | Weight | Contribution |
|---|---|---|---|
| Best 3No. 111986–87Recorded box inputsIncludes bounded historical defense estimateNo. 131985–86Recorded box inputsIncludes bounded historical defense estimateNo. 231989–90Recorded box inputsIncludes bounded historical defense estimate | 15.667 | 50% | 7.833 |
| Best 5No. 111986–87Recorded box inputsIncludes bounded historical defense estimateNo. 131985–86Recorded box inputsIncludes bounded historical defense estimateNo. 231989–90Recorded box inputsIncludes bounded historical defense estimateNo. 251987–88Recorded box inputsIncludes bounded historical defense estimateNo. 271984–85Recorded box inputsIncludes bounded historical defense estimate | 19.800 | 30% | 5.940 |
| Best 10No. 111986–87Recorded box inputsIncludes bounded historical defense estimateNo. 131985–86Recorded box inputsIncludes bounded historical defense estimateNo. 231989–90Recorded box inputsIncludes bounded historical defense estimateNo. 251987–88Recorded box inputsIncludes bounded historical defense estimateNo. 271984–85Recorded box inputsIncludes bounded historical defense estimateNo. 341990–91Recorded box inputsIncludes bounded historical defense estimateNo. 361983–84Recorded box inputsIncludes bounded historical defense estimateNo. 441988–89Recorded box inputsIncludes bounded historical defense estimateNo. 571982–83Recorded box inputsIncludes bounded historical defense estimateNo. 641981–82Recorded box inputsIncludes bounded historical defense estimate | 33.400 | 20% | 6.680 |
7.833 + 5.940 + 6.680= 20.453
Averages, contributions, and totals are displayed to three decimal places. The ranking calculation keeps full source precision. Read the full method →
Full comparison · Career comparison
Understand the numbers
Start with impact, then compare playing time and skills. Team results add context. These are not categories to tally into a winner.
1 · Ranking evidence
Impact: who ranks higher, and why?
Career Impact Rank compares entire regular-season careers across NBA history. It combines average league places across the best three, five, and ten seasons, weighted 50%, 30%, and 20%. A lower rank or average place is better.
| Metric | Kevin Garnett | Kevin McHale |
|---|---|---|
| Career Impact RankPeak-weighted regular-season rank | #5Better result for this metric. | #157 |
| Best 3 average finish | 1.0Better result for this metric. | 15.7 |
| Best 5 average finish | 1.4Better result for this metric. | 19.8 |
| Best 10 average finish | 2.9Better result for this metric. | 33.4 |
Show more stats: Impact
| Metric | Kevin Garnett | Kevin McHale |
|---|---|---|
| Points-above-replacement rankAll-time rank in estimated regular-season points above replacement | #6Better result for this metric. | #128 |
| Peak era-centered impactEstimated points per 100 possessions above that season's league average | +10.4Better result for this metric. | +4.3 |
| Best 3 average impact | +9.9Better result for this metric. | +3.9 |
| Best 5 average impact | +9.2Better result for this metric. | +3.4 |
| Best 10 average impact | +8.0Better result for this metric. | +2.5 |
| Points above replacementRegular season · fixed -2.0 replacement baseline · higher is better | +7,631 ptsBetter result for this metric. | +2,509 pts |
| Seasons ranked No. 1 | 3Better result for this metric. | 0 |
| Top-five impact seasons | 10Better result for this metric. | 0 |
| Top-ten impact seasons | 11Better result for this metric. | 0 |
2 · Playing time and responsibility
How much did each player take on?
Read games and minutes alongside impact. Offensive usage is the share of team plays a player ends with a shot, free throws, or a turnover while on court. More usage is not automatically better.
| Metric | Kevin Garnett | Kevin McHale |
|---|---|---|
| Games | 1,462 | 971 |
| Minutes | 50,418 | 30,118 |
3 · Individual skills
Where does each player have an advantage?
These are each player's averages across up to ten best seasons. Career Impact Rank gives the Best 3, Best 5, and Best 10 average league finishes 50%, 30%, and 20% window weights, giving the most weight to the highest peak. The model accounts for position, role, pace, playing time, and team results. Green marks the better result for a metric, including lower turnover rates. Workload and shot-selection measures stay neutral. These rows are not votes toward the ranking.
Shooting
True shooting includes two-pointers, three-pointers, and free throws.
| Metric | Kevin Garnett | Kevin McHale |
|---|---|---|
| True shooting percentage | 54.6% | 60.5%Better result for this metric. |
| True shootingAverage across the best impact seasons selected for the model input profile | 54.9% | 61.3%Better result for this metric. |
Show more stats: Shooting
| Metric | Kevin Garnett | Kevin McHale |
|---|---|---|
| Field-goal percentage | 49.7% | 55.4%Better result for this metric. |
| Three-point percentage | 27.5%Better result for this metric. | 26.1% |
| Free-throw percentage | 78.9% | 79.8%Better result for this metric. |
Passing
Assist rate is the share of teammates’ made shots assisted while the player is on court. Read turnovers alongside offensive workload; lower turnover rate is generally better.
| Metric | Kevin Garnett | Kevin McHale |
|---|---|---|
| Assist rateAverage across the best impact seasons selected for the model input profile | 22.4%Better result for this metric. | 8.3% |
| Assists per game | 3.7Better result for this metric. | 1.7 |
Show more stats: Passing
| Metric | Kevin Garnett | Kevin McHale |
|---|---|---|
| Turnover rateAverage across the best impact seasons selected for the model input profile | 11.8% | 11.7%Better result for this metric. |
Rebounding
Rebound rate is the share of available rebounds collected while on court.
| Metric | Kevin Garnett | Kevin McHale |
|---|---|---|
| Rebound rateAverage across the best impact seasons selected for the model input profile | 18.2%Better result for this metric. | 13.3% |
| Rebounds per game | 10.0Better result for this metric. | 7.3 |
Defense
Steals and blocks describe only part of defense. They do not capture every stop, rotation, or matchup.
| Metric | Kevin Garnett | Kevin McHale |
|---|---|---|
| Steal rateAverage across the best impact seasons selected for the model input profile | 1.9%Better result for this metric. | 0.6% |
Show more stats: Defense
| Metric | Kevin Garnett | Kevin McHale |
|---|---|---|
| Block rateAverage across the best impact seasons selected for the model input profile | 3.1% | 3.2%Better result for this metric. |
Scoring
Points per game describe scoring volume, not overall impact.
| Metric | Kevin Garnett | Kevin McHale |
|---|---|---|
| Points per game | 17.8 | 17.9Better result for this metric. |
4 · Team context, not ranking inputs
What happened with and without them?
A verified with/without comparison is unavailable for this scope. We do not substitute another season’s observations.
Four separate questions
Impact, winning, playoffs, and awards
These are different ways to understand a career. Only Regular Season Impact determines the hussEyquation verdict. The other three sections add basketball context without adding points or changing the rank.
Regular Season Impact
Kevin Garnett ranks higher in career impact.
Kevin GarnettMetricKevin McHale
#5LeadsCareer Impact RankPeak-weighted regular-season rank#157
+10.4LeadsPeak era-centered impactEstimated points per 100 possessions above that season's league average+4.3
+9.2LeadsBest 5 average impact+3.4
+7,631 ptsLeadsPoints above replacementRegular season · fixed -2.0 replacement baseline · higher is better+2,509 pts
This is the ranking result. It uses regular-season impact only. Team records, playoffs, and awards do not change it.
Team Success
The advantages are split across the available measures.
Kevin GarnettMetricKevin McHale
942LeadsListed-team regular-season wins738
53.7%Listed-team winning percentage69.2%Leads
850-win team seasons11Leads
260-win team seasons5Leads
16LeadsPlayoff team seasons13
Context only. Not included in Career Impact Rank. Final records for every listed team-season. A traded season can include more than one team.
Playoff Résumé
The advantages are split across the available measures.
Kevin GarnettMetricKevin McHale
14LeadsPlayoff appearances13
143Playoff games169Leads
71Team playoff wins100Leads
2Finals appearances5Leads
1Championships3Leads
Context only. Not included in Career Impact Rank. Team playoff results count only seasons when the player appeared in a playoff game.
Awards
Kevin Garnett leads every available measure below.
Kevin GarnettMetricKevin McHale
15LeadsAll-Star7
1LeadsMVP0
9LeadsAll-NBA1
12LeadsAll-Defense6
1LeadsDPOY0
0Rookie of the Year0
Context only. Not included in Career Impact Rank. Major regular-season honors are recognition, not inputs to the impact ranking.
How each context field is counted
- Listed-team regular-season wins
- The sum of each listed team's final wins in every season the player represented that team.
- Listed-team winning percentage
- Those team wins divided by those teams' total regular-season games.
- 50- and 60-win team seasons
- Listed team-seasons that finished with at least 50 or 60 wins. Shortened seasons are not projected to 82 games.
- Team seasons reaching playoffs
- Listed team-seasons in which that team qualified for the playoffs.
- Playoff appearances and games
- Postseasons and games in which the player appeared.
- Team playoff wins
- Team wins from those postseasons. They describe team results, not individual credit.
- Finals appearances and championships
- Seasons when the player appeared in the playoffs for the finalist or champion.
- Awards
- Recorded NBA selections and major regular-season honors. A zero means the source records none; Not available means the source field is missing.
Source and scope Basketball Reference, NBA seasons 1950–51 through 2025–26, accessed 2026-10-09.
Career Shape Explorer
How the careers developed
Follow every regular season by NBA experience or age. This view describes the path; it does not create another verdict.
Kevin GarnettKevin McHalePeak seasonHistorical source qualification
Estimated points per 100 possessions above that season's league average
Striped bars mark seasons with fewer than 40 games. A dashed mark means that player had no season at the aligned point.
Season-by-season evidenceRead both careers at the same stage
Every observed season keeps its age, era-centered impact estimate, league rank when qualified, career-stage label, and exact evidence link. A missing career point stays missing.
Kevin GarnettNBA seasonKevin McHale
Season 1
Season 2
Season 3
Season 4
Season 5
Season 6
Season 7
Season 8
Season 9
Season 10
Season 11
Season 12
Season 13
Season 14
No season
Season 15
No season
Season 16
No season
Season 17
No season
Season 18
No season
Season 19
No season
Season 20
No season
Observed values come from the accepted season comparison record. Historical source qualifications stay attached to affected seasons. Missing means no NBA season exists at that aligned point; it is never interpolated. Missing is not the same as estimated.