Timberwolves owner Glen Taylor told Sports Headliners he doesn’t know what to expect regarding Kevin McHale’s interest in coaching beyond this season. He doesn’t believe McHale has made a decision and an announcement may not come until after the season. Taylor said McHale might want to coach beyond 2009 to continue improving the team, eventually leaving on “his terms” with a better product than seen here in awhile.
When the Lakers were in town Friday night they were without legendary coach Tex Winter. The former Kansas State coach and long time Lakers’ advisor, now 86, doesn’t travel with the team but still consults with head coach Phil Jackson. Instead of a consultant, Winter refers to himself as an “insultant,” said assistant coach Frank Hamblin.
Royce White of Hopkins High School and Rodney Williams of Robbinsdale Cooper have known each other since grade school, according to White’s grandfather Frank White. The two Gopher recruits will compete against one another tomorrow night when Hopkins plays at Cooper.
Hopkins is rated 17th in the country in USA Today’s national rankings of prep teams. That’s the highest ranking for a Minnesota prep team within memory.
The Gophers’ four remaining Big Ten Conference home basketball games are near sellouts, according to Jason LaFrenz, assistant athletics director for marketing and ticket sales.
U sports historian Dana Marshall sent an e-mail regarding former Gophers Lindsay Whalen and Janel McCarville being on the ballot for the March 8 EuroLeague All-star game. Whalen plays for ZVVZ USK Prague, and McCarville for CSKA Moscow.
Former Gopher Blake Wheeler, now with Boston, is tied for second in plus-minus rating in the NHL. Zach Parise, born in Minneapolis and the son of former North Star J.P. Parise, is tied for third in the league in goals, playing for New Jersey. Former Gopher Thomas Vanek, with Buffalo, is also third in goals.