Justin Jefferson and Anthony Edwards recreate iconic photo of Randy Moss and Kevin Garnett

“Everyone in Minnesota knows the photo,” Jefferson says, grinning. “Two superstars in the state of Minnesota; they were at the top of the league in basketball and football.”

He’s right, of course, except for one thing: People far beyond the borders of Minnesota know the image.

Jon Krawczynski, now an esteemed senior writer for the Athletic, was a 21-year-old Minnesota sports fanatic and aspiring journalist when the Sport cover was released in March 2000.

“One of the things that made that image so special was that Kevin Garnett and Randy Moss were not only local heroes to all the sports fans in Minnesota and the surrounding region, but they were extremely popular across the country,” Krawczynski recalls. “And so for a part of the country that’s often overlooked – you know, we’re constantly getting smaller because it’s cold here; people in other parts of the country think we’re just a frozen outpost and there’s nothing here is cool – that was one of the first times since Prince that ‘Hey, Minnesota is cool.’ “

Krawczynski mentioned the state symbols of Garnett and Moss, with the latter coming off his third NFL season and third straight with more than 1,300 receiving yards and double-digit touchdowns. Garnett, the older of the two by a year, had already completed five Timberwolves seasons and two while averaging a double-double per outing.

For the first time in a while, Krawczynski noted, Minnesota was ahead.

“I think it’s given a lot of people here incredible pride,” he said. “These guys were their people, and they became stars and lifted everyone on their shoulders.”

The original photo was taken by the late photographer Tim Mantoanithat captured not only youthful energy so perfectly, but also its essence – the pleasure – of winning.

But it was Garnett’s spontaneous suggestion that turned a rather standard, editorial photo shoot on its head that day:

“It was the perfect twist to take what would have been a cool photo and turn it into an iconic photo,” Krawczynski said. “Because what KG did (with that idea) turned these superhuman athletes – who run faster, jump higher, are taller, are more athletic and are richer – into sports fans of each other.

“How many Minnesota sports fans had their own Moss jersey, had their own Garnett jersey and wore it to games?” added Krawczynski, who had a white 21 Wolves jersey and purple 84 Moss in his own collection. “So now that we see them all wearing the opposite jersey, it says that not only are they great athletes, but superstar personalities, they are actually athletes.” fans – and that makes them just like us.”