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Kevin Garnett is expressive on the court, but extremely guarded off it.

Ask effusive rookie and fellow power forward Glen Davis about Garnett, and he says, "You see the intensity out there on the court, but he's a wonderful guy. He's helped me tremendously." Ask for a specific example about Garnett's help — on or off the court — and Davis says, "He told me to never tell anybody your move." Garnett's guardedness is nothing new. He allowed the media inside his house for a behind-the-scenes story years ago but has worked to shield himself from attention since the 1995 draft, when he became the first high schooler picked in more than 20 years. When the St. Paul Pioneer Press wrote an in-depth feature on Garnett for its front page in 1997, shortly after Garnett signed a then-record $125 million, six-year contract extension with the Timberwolves, he declined to be interviewed. "I like to keep my life sheltered," he told the paper.

Garnett grew up with his mother and stepfather in South Carolina, where he had to sneak out to play basketball. During his rookie season, he told USA Today, "My mom worked real hard, and she was always tired and cranky. My stepfather treated me like dirt. ... There was nowhere to go to get away from my environment. I'm happy I discovered basketball."

Near the end of his junior year at Mauldin High School, Garnett was involved in a hallway brawl with four others that, according to reports, may have been racially motivated and in which he may have been no more than a bystander. He was not charged with a crime, but his mom still decided to move with him to Chicago, where he played his senior year at Farragut Academy for a coach he had met in AAU basketball.

His mom followed the doctrine of Jehovah's Witnesses, so Garnett was not allowed to celebrate Christmas until he left the denomination after joining the NBA. Showing a glimpse into his personal life last December, Garnett told Boston reporters, "This is my 13th (Christmas). I tend to gravitate toward (the holiday more) than others, and I really appreciate the true meaning of it."

Garnett does not allow the public inside access, but he still can light up a room with his personality. He is downright bubbly in the commercial during which he does a mini dance routine with Pierce and Ray Allen while they roam ESPN's offices seeking a nickname for the Big Three. And few superstars would consent to performing a full-blown scream in front of cameras and allowing it to be shown to thousands of fans before each game.

By all accounts, Garnett is not only respected by opponents but also well-liked, even with his in-your-face ways. The Suns' Amare Stoudemire laughs about a heated exchange he had with Garnett during a regular season meeting. "You know with K.G., it's nothing personal. That was fun," Stoudemire says.

And nothing brings out the fun in professional athletes like winning a championship. As they clutch the trophy and douse each other with liquid refreshments, the walls they so often put up come down at least temporarily. With Garnett finally within reach of his ultimate goal, it's not too early to wonder: Might this be a time when K.G. lets his guard down? As fun as that would be, don't count on it.

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Nathan Denette / AP

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