Both Jermaine O'neal and Larry Nance hail from South Carolina but they don't have the story, personality, or accolades to deny that Kevin Garnett is the king of South Carolina professional basketball. Garnett was one of the most-feared and intense athletes the NBA has ever seen. His diverse ability to interrupt a play on the defensive end than create a play for his teammates or himself standing at 6'11 as a true power forward is something that we've never seen before and probably won't for quite some time.
Garnett was so gifted that he was drafted fifth overall directly out of high school by the Minnesota Timberwolves in the 1995 NBA Draft. This was the first time someone had been drafted directly out of high school in two decades. Garnett is one of four players to earn an NBA MVP Award (2004) and NBA Defensive Player of the Year Award (2008). The Mauldin, South Carolina-bred phenom is a 15x NBA All-Star, 4x All-NBA First Team honoree, and one-time NBA Champion (2008). While he did play for both the Boston Celtics and Brooklyn Nets, he was always a Timberwolf. Garnett closed out his playing days in Minnesota after the 2015-16 NBA season.
Wondering where to go in 2020 for an amazing deal, to beat the crowds, or for a truly once-in-a-lifetime travel experience? These destinations are on travel addicts’ radar for rightfully hyped 2020 events, new offerings, and recent developments that make them a must-visit right now.
On top of the majestic scenery its long been known for, Montana is a newly trendy nature getaway celebrated for its expanding luxury hotel scene, culinary offerings, and shop-local boutiques, according to an American Express study detailing where cardholders are traveling in 2020. But Montana is also about to get more accessible than ever before thanks to emerging flight routes sure to stir up competition. Launching two brand-new seasonal routes to Big Sky country, American Airlines will fly from New York’s LaGuardia Airport to Bozeman and Kalispell, Montana, beginning mid-year and continuing through Labor Day. Take advantage of the new direct route before the secret gets out, and so that they’ll continue next year.
One of the cities featured in Booking.com’s travel trends for 2020, Urugay’s capital Montevideo is a stable and LGBT-friendly destination to visit in South America—a continent that’s seen dips in tourism of late thanks to political instability in travel destinations like Brazil, Chile, and Argentina. Travelers identified the city as a trending travel destination for anyone seeking an immersive, one-stop escape; according to the study, “over half (54 percent) of global travelers say they want to go on one long trip to a place that has all of their favorite activities and sights close together.” Montevideo’s offerings include beaches, nightlife, markets, theaters, culinary prowess, and festive Gay Pride Day celebrations in September.
Europe’s intensely overtouristed spots (Venice, Barcelona, Santorini) have new Eastern European hotspots to thank for stealing away some of the spotlight: Romania is making a name for itself as one of the top five most trending Airbnb booking destinations for 2020. The nation that’s home to Transylvania, Dracula’s castle, and well-preserved medieval towns nestled among rolling hills has seen a 298 percent annual increase in Airbnb bookings.