News and notes from Glen Taylor and other newsmakers including new high school coaching hires.
The NBA Draft Lottery has not been kind to the Timberwolves. Despite a long list of losing seasons over more than two decades, the franchise has never had the No. 1 pick in the draft. This year the Wolves are sending a woman to see if their luck changes.
And not just any woman.
Glen Taylor, the Wolves owner, broke the news to Sports Headliners his wife Becky will represent the franchise on national TV May 19 when the NBA’s 14 draft lottery teams assemble in New York City. The Wolves, of course, are hoping the lottery rewards them with the first selection in the June 25 NBA Draft.
Wolves president and coach Flip Saunders let Taylor know he wanted Becky to represent the club at the draft lottery and she accepted the invitation. NBA teams send various representatives to the lottery, often front office executives. Cavs owner Dan Gilbert has dispatched his teenage son Nick multiple times and won the lottery in both 2013 and 2014.
Saunders has represented the Wolves in the past at the lottery announcement but this will be Becky’s first turn. Will she wear something lucky like a special piece of jewelry? No, but she will be wearing a new dress. “That will be her lucky outfit,” Taylor said with a laugh.
The lottery chances of the 14 teams favor franchises with the worst regular season records. Because the Wolves had the league’s worst record in 2014-2015, they have 250 chances at winning the No. 1 selection in the lottery, while the clubs closest to them are the Knicks, 199 chances; Sixers, 156; and Lakers, 119. The Wolves have a 25 percent likelihood of winning the lottery and securing the No. 1 draft choice. Lottery policy guarantees Minnesota will draft no lower than fourth in the first round.
Taylor will accompany Becky to New York. Although he is chairman of the NBA Board of Directors, he has never personally observed the draft lottery. He made it clear, though, his wife will be the one on TV. “Becky is going to be the front person,” he said.
Taylor said the Wolves must improve defensively next season. He wouldn’t be surprised to see Saunders make defense a priority on June 25 when the club uses its three draft choices—one first round pick and two selections during the second round.
Although Taylor doesn’t have final figures, he expects the Wolves to lose about $1 million to $2 million this past season. The franchise has frequently sustained major annual financial losses. “I would guess in our worst year we probably lost $10 million, but I don’t have that in front of me,” Taylor said.
The NBA has a revenue sharing policy where the more financially successful teams assist others. Taylor didn’t reveal figures but said this past season the amount of revenue received by franchises like his was “much larger” than in the past.
Next season the Wolves could break even or even be profitable if the on-court performance improves. A dramatic improvement landing the Wolves in the playoffs means making money “for sure,” Taylor said.
Greg Boone, who played basketball at Minneapolis Central High School and Augsburg College, is the new Minneapolis Southwest High School boys head coach. Boone is an accountant and won’t have a classroom teaching position at Southwest.
James Ware, the new basketball coach at Park Center, is an assistant principal in the Hopkins school system. Ware’s basketball resume includes assisting Hopkins High School head coach Ken Novak Jr. and working for Dan Monson when he was the Gophers head coach.
Trent Klatt, the former North Star, Gopher and 1989 Minnesota Mr. Hockey, is the new head hockey coach at Grand Rapids High School.
For $2,000 each a maximum of 25 individuals can participate in the Gophers second annual Boys of Fall Elite Camp in August. The three-day experience (August 7-9) will coincide with Minnesota’s preseason football training camp. Attendees become acquainted with the team and staff, and will have an in-depth look at coach Jerry Kill’s offensive, defensive and special team’s philosophies. Participants will attend all team, position and special teams meetings with players and coaches, plus on the field practices. More at Coachkillfbcamps.com.
After a disappointing performance in the playoffs against the Blackhawks, Wild goalie Devan Dubnyk, who is an unrestricted free agent this offseason, has lost some bargaining power on his next contract. The second round playoffs were the biggest stage this year for the Wild and Dubnyk. He didn’t play his best and teams now have to decide how much importance to give the Blackhawks series versus Dubnyk’s superb play last winter and in the first round of the playoffs. Best guess is he re-signs with the Wild and perhaps triples his reported $800,000 annual salary.
Vikings coach Mike Zimmer meets with the media this week for a special session where he will share thoughts on how he coaches and his expectations of players.
Vikings first round draft choice cornerback Trae Waynes after being asked if he sets goals: “No. My whole mindset is play as hard as I can as fast as I can. Just try to make an impact. I’m competing against myself and…against other players but I have got to push myself at this level (NFL), and my big thing is just go out and compete.”
The Twins moved up from No. 21 to No.12 in Espn.com’s latest MLB power rankings of teams. The Cardinals are No. 1 while Twins’ Central Division rivals the Royals and Tigers are 2 and 4.
Twins shortstop Danny Santana has nine errors in 30 games this season. The club record for fewest errors by a shortstop is Leo Cardenas’ 11 in 1971.
While the Saints don’t open the season in their new ballpark until May 18, Hamline’s baseball team has already played nine games there. Among early descriptions of the new facility is it’s “definitely a pitcher’s ballpark” with long distances to the fences.