Celebrated returns of Hunter, Garnett run parallel in Minnesota

FORT MYERS, Fla. -- When Timberwolves forward Kevin Garnett was re-introduced to the media at a press conference late last month, he took a moment to give a special shout-out to a veteran athlete nearing 40 years old who was returning to Minnesota.

No, not himself. That would be Torii Hunter, the 39-year-old outfielder whom the Twins signed this offseason to bring the veteran back on a one-year deal. The primes of Garnett's and Hunter's careers in Minnesota overlapped -- they both departed the Twin Cities in 2007 -- and each spent years as the faces of their respective franchises.

Garnett has already made his emotional return to the court for the Wolves, which was capped by an introductory video and a standing ovation at Target Center on Feb. 25. Hunter is still more than a month away from his first regular-season game in his new (or old) Twins uniform, but he knows his emotions will be running just as high as they did for Garnett late last month.

"I'm probably going to cry, so I've got to be a man and just take it," Hunter said as he sat at his corner locker in the Twins' clubhouse. "There's nothing like it, man. I love Minnesota and all the fans."

Hunter is back in Fort Myers with the team that gave him his first opportunity as a high schooler out of Pine Bluff, Ark. He spent many springs here with the Twins organization, dating all the way back to his first camp in 1994.

Hammond Stadium looks much different than the last time Hunter was here in 2007 thanks to recent renovations, and the Twins have a new manager this year in Paul Molitor, who replaced Ron Gardenhire. But Hunter insists not much else has changed in eight years. The workouts and drills are run the same. He's on the same practice fields he used to roam years ago.

In many ways, it's almost as if he never left.

"It's like I never missed a beat," Hunter said. "I already know where to go. A lot of these guys don't even know where to go."

The parallels between Garnett and Hunter as they make their returns are numerous. Both left the organizations that gave them a chance as high school kids following the 2007 seasons. Both played for two other teams -- Garnett with the Celtics and Nets, Hunter with the Angels and Tigers -- before coming back to Minnesota. And both are viewed as veteran leaders who can help mentor their team's young core of players.

There's been one other similarity drawn as well: Minnesotans are ecstatic to see both Garnett and Hunter back. That was evident for Garnett in his Wolves debut -- or, rather, his reintroduction -- when he received a standing ovation from a sold-out Target Center. Hunter, meanwhile, has been one of the most popular Twins players in camp among fans, who have welcomed him back and hoped to catch a glimpse or snag an autograph from the former and current outfielder.

"They've been very receptive," Hunter said. "It's very impressive how the fans are clapping and different things like that when I come out. It's like, 'Wow, this is crazy.' I've been gone seven years and it's still like this. I'm honored."

Hunter is the first to admit he's not on Garnett's level in terms of popularity and overall impact on Minnesota's franchise. Though Hunter was the face of the Twins for a number of years, he's by no means the team's best player of all time.

Garnett was exactly that for the Timberwolves, and it's not even close. He was a 10-time All-Star in Minnesota, an NBA MVP in 2003-04, and led Minnesota to the Western Conference Finals. As Wolves point guard Ricky Rubio said, when people think of the Timberwolves, they think of Kevin Garnett.

"He's in another league. We're not even comparable," Hunter said. "Our passions and the respect we have for each other, the way we play the game, we play it with reckless abandonment. We play hard. We try to make people around us better."

Hunter and Garnett crossed paths over the years in Minnesota, although their busy schedules prevented them from getting to know each other all that well. Several years back when Garnett was with Boston and his Celtics were in Los Angeles to play the Lakers, Hunter -- then with the Angels -- took his son to the game at Staples Center. After the game, the two stars met up and Hunter's son got to meet one of his favorite players.

With both players back in Minnesota once again, there's a good chance they might meet up once Hunter and the Twins head north.

"That was pretty cool, man, just to see how things come full circle," Hunter said of Garnett's return. "I thought I would never come back. I would say, 'I'm coming back, I'm coming back,' to the front office and different things like that. For it to manifest itself and I'm back here, I thank God. There's a lot of love."

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