“Yes!” Kevin Garnett shouted at the top of his lungs after realizing his lifelong dream of winning a National Basketball championship. In 2008, Garnett’s team, the Boston Celtics, beat the Los Angeles Lakers in game six of the seven game NBA Finals.  Garnett was so thrilled he fell to his knees in the center of the electrified arena. Then he rose and shouted “Anything is possible.”

The driven Garnett rose to claim the pendant as a victory, not only for him and his team, but for others as well. His fans and family watched him as he overcame many roadblocks on his journey to the championship. At times, his dream appeared to be only that, solely a dream. He rose, he faltered, but he never quit; he never stopped working hard, he never stopped believing. “Anything is Possible.”

Fedorko’s book title, Kevin Garnett: Overcoming Adversity: Sharing the American Dream is consistent with the content of the book.  He cleverly illustrates the vehicles – belief, passion, and hard work – that Garnett used on his road to victory. Almost every page demonstrates and emphasizes Garnett’s drive toward his vision. He stuck to this vision even when it seemed as though it was vain to do so.

Throughout the book, Fedorko depicts the adversities Garnett faced and the life lessons he learned during his rise to the National Basketball Association. Fedorko begins the book by describing Kevin’s first adverse condition: being the second child of a single parent. His father never married his mother, and thus he, his sibling, and his mother were extremely poor. Poverty was something from which Kevin wanted to be free. In Garnett’s early years, his mother worked twelve hours days, five days a week and on many weekends, yet this was not enough to support her family. Garnett admired his mother’s work ethic, and he began mimicking her at a young age.

Garnett wanted to help support his family.  He worked hard and always gave 100%. No job was beneath him. He obtained employment in restaurants, grocery stores, yards, and wherever else he found an opening. He developed a strong work ethic, which he took to the basketball court; he used this drive in every practice and every game every day. He was constantly surrounding by the thumping sound of a dribbled ball. Any day or night that sound probably would have been young Kevin Garnett dribbling his basketball on the streets in Maudlin, South Carolina. He dreamed of becoming a professional basketball player even then.

As fate would have it, the naysayers, including his mother and stepfather, appeared. Garnett and his stepfather had a very obtrusive relationship. He, too, did not believe Garnett would make it to the NBA, and he tried to steer him away from basketball, as did his mother. It was as though they tag-teamed him; they both attempted to persuade him to go to college and become a social worker. Garnett repeatedly expressed to them how much he loved basketball and how he visualized himself playing in the NBA. Garnett believed he was born to play basketball. Nevertheless, his mother forbade him from playing ball and so did his stepfather. Garnett was so driven that he disobeyed his mother when she told him to give up on basketball and to focus his energy on studying instead. Most of the time he did as he was told, but he was so driven, he defied her and sneaked around to play ball. He even joined the school’s basketball team, unbeknownst to his mother.  Once his mother learned he had defied her, playing basketball without her permission, she was livid. She showed up at his basketball game with intentions of punishing him; however, she was in awe watching him play and listening to the crowd cheering for her son. Consequently, his mother finally endorsed his basketball aspirations.  She became her son’s biggest cheerleader.

Garnett continued to lead his team to many victories, and he was rewarded with the Mr. Basketball award. College scouts came to his school and watched him play.  Colleges expressed their desire to recruit him. Everything was working in his favor when another unexpected boulder landed in his path. He, along with a group of four other boys, was arrested. They were charged with second-degree lynching. A white boy accused them of beating him nearly to death. Garnett claimed innocence and he held steadfast to his statement. Never wavering, Garnett continually proclaimed his innocence. Fortunately, Kevin was never involved with the law, nor did he have behavior problems. Consequently, court officials placed him in a one-year probationary program. However, his mother did not like the outcome and believed it was time to move. She packed her bags and moved to Chicago. Garnett continued to excel. He won his second Mr. Basketball Award at his new school.

The recruiters were in awe of Garnett’s talent.  Many were interested in Garnett coming to their school to play basketball. Thus, Garnett had numerous colleges to pick from; yet again, he faced a challenge, this time in the form of academics. His scores on the college entrance exams were not high enough for division one schools, to which the scouts from the National Basketball Association went to seek potential players. Garnett sought tutors but despite their help, his scores remained too low. He changed his route and proposed entering the NBA draft. Again the naysayers came aboard. Garnett believed in himself, moreover, he was a skilled basketball player. Despite the naysayers, Garnett entered the NBA draft.  He knew a contract with the NBA would solve his financial woes.  His deep-seated passion for basketball and his need to support his family soared—Garnett was driven.

Garnett did not believe in quitting. Consequently, he had to become creative; he had to find another method to enter the NBA. He went against the odds, all the doubters and naysayers, and entered the NBA draft in 1995. The Timberwolves chose him in the first round.  Garnett helped the team enter the NBA Playoffs, which the Timberwolves had never done before Garnett joining the team. He led them to the Playoffs for six consecutive seasons, and during the seventh season, he brought them to the Western Conference Finals. However, the Timberwolves were not victorious. Although these achievements were considered great success for the Timberwolves, they were not enough for Garnett—he was driven. He yearned, he worked, he prayed, he believed he would see the championship banner rise, and he would be an NBA champion.

Though Jamie Fedorko wrote this book for a young adult audience, readers of any age could benefit from the life lessons he shares and the vehicle Garnett used on his road to victory. Almost every page demonstrates and emphasizes Garnett’s belief, passion and excellent work ethic, which he stuck to even when it seemed as though it was vain to do so. One key lesson he enjoys sharing with the world is that dreams can manifest in reality. Eventually, after joining a new NBA team, Garnett and the Celtics celebrated their winning of the NBA championship, and Garnett received his first NBA ring. It is clearly depicted on page 8, when “His [Garnett’s] excitement erupted as he shouted ‘Anything is possible! Anything is possible!’”

The book is full of large, glossy, color superstar and super play photographs. Jamie Fedorko’s work highlights Garnett’s super plays, statistics in ways that are formatted and easy to read. He tells about the extraordinary events in Garnett’s life. This book is informative, moving, and inspirational.

Garnett incurred many roadblocks during his journey to becoming an NBA champion.  Nonetheless, the author clearly demonstrates how Kevin stayed on course whenever obstacles arose. The lessons are recognized in every adversity. The author reveals how Garnett dealt with them and, indeed, learned from them. He allowed the obstacles to help him grow and enhance his character.  With each setback Garnett became more driven.  Adversity invites itself into every person’s life. Adversity tests character and provides choices: to learn and strengthen character or to quit. Garnett did not believe in quitting—he was driven to overcome obstacles.