Kevin Garnett Claims 2013 All-Star Game Will Be His Last

When Kevin Garnett hears the final buzzer at the 2013 All-Star Game in Houston, it will be the last time we'll have a chance to see him grace the court with the league's best of the best.

The Boston Celtics great has announced that this year's All-Star Game—his 15th in 18 NBA seasons—will be his last.

Celtics Hub had the news on Twitter, as Garnett told reporters the news following his team's 71-69 win over the Chicago Bulls Wednesday evening:

As stated by the Hub, one can only speculate to the true meaning of his announcement.

It could be Garnett's sly way of telling us that he's preparing for retirement following the conclusion of the season and playoffs. He signed a three-year deal to stay with the Celtics last summer, but it wouldn't be the first time an athlete decided to leave money on the table and leave the game before being unable to compete at the highest level.

Knowing KG, though, it could just be white noise.

Either way, this statement comes on the heels of Garnett's entry into the most exclusive club in NBA history. He stands alone as the only player in the 25,000-point, 10,000-rebound, 5,000-assist and 1,500-block club, as mentioned by Sean Grande:

Averaging 15.2 points and 7.6 rebounds per game this season, Garnett's minutes are hovering around 30 per night as he tries to make up for lost production from the team's injuries and free-agent departures.

Boston is now 28-24 after its latest win, and it isn't out of the playoffs just yet. Garnett will have to will his team to success the rest of the way without both the injured Rajon Rondo and departed Ray Allen. And as he winds down his career, this latest statement might have slipped out as his body continues to wear down.

Regardless, one of the best to ever play the position, if he were to in fact retire, Garnett would leave the game as an automatic contender for first-ballot Hall of Fame status.