Author: David Shama

The 20-year-old Williams gives the Wolves a promising roster now that includes Love, 22, and 20-year-old point guard Ricky Rubio, 23-year-old shooting guard Wes Johnson, and 26-year-old Darko Milicic.  Even before the draft Ronzone was intrigued about the team’s future.

“We are gonna get better,” he said.  “We are gonna win more games.  You can see the talent we got on the floor.  We’re excited for the future.”

Love led the NBA in rebounding last year at 15.2 per game.  He also averaged a career high 20.2 points and is easily the most advanced of the team’s players.

Rubio’s arrival on the roster after being drafted in 2009 has teammates excited.  Reserve forward Anthony Randolph, 21, told Ronzone he has never played with a point guard who will get him the ball.  If the Wolves win games, Ronzone doesn’t even care if Rubio scores.  “Jason Kidd (Dallas point guard) said his goal one day was to get a triple double without scoring,”  Ronzone said.

Ronzone believes Johnson’s talent is “off the charts.”  He was inconsistent during his rookie season and often played without intensity.  But Ronzone said it’s typical for NBA players to make a lot of improvement from their first to second years and expects that progression for Johnson who is so athletic and basketball skilled he could be among the league’s better players offensively and defensively.

Milicic started the most games of his much criticized NBA career last season, his first full year with the Wolves, averaging a modest 8.8 points and 5.2 rebounds.  His overall consistency and intensity was an issue and Ronzone admits this is a “big year” for the 7-foot center who has not only size but exceptional skills including shot blocking and passing.

Ronzone predicts this next season will be one for both Milicic and the Wolves to make evaluations. “See how committed he is,” Ronzone said. “How bad he wants it. I feel he will do it.  I believe in him.”

Milicic, Love and Rubio could form one of the better passing trios seen in the NBA in a long time.  The prospect of that had Ronzone enthused.  “(If) we guard, we can score with anybody in the league.  We did that this year.  We just couldn’t finish games.”

Ricky Rubio’s 14-year-old sister Laia is moving here with her parents from Spain and she is a talented point guard.  “Some high school team is going to be excited when they get her on the roster,” Ronzone said. “She can play.”

There will be two services today (noon and 3 p.m.) at Mount Olivet Lutheran Church for Rev. Paul Youngdahl who passed away unexpectedly on Monday.  Rev. Youngdahl was a friend and someone I had the highest admiration for.  He was a passionate sports fan and his church for many years hosted a famous spring sports banquet.

Condolences to the Youngdahl family and also to former Gophers’ basketball coach Bill Fitch whose wife Joni Nelson died in Texas on Monday.

The Minnesota Court of Appeals has set a July 21 date for hearing the University of Minnesota’s appeal in the Jimmy Williams case.  A jury previously ruled in Williams’ favor regarding the lawsuit involving Gophers’ basketball coach Tubby Smith and the University.

The Twins, with a record of 32-41, will have to be 62-27 in their remaining 89 games to equal last year’s Central Division title record of 94-68.

Gophers’ football coach Jerry Kill meets with the media Tuesday to show the latest renovations to the weight room and outdoor practice fields.

The Gophers Goal Line Club is sponsoring a golf tournament and dinner at the Alexandria Golf Club on Monday.  Gophers’ assistant head coach Bill Miller and former U quarterback Rickey Foggie are among those who will attend.  For more information visit www.goallineclub.com, or contact Dave Vagle at 320-762-2154.

The 2011 Gophers “M” Club Hall of Fame inductees will be Nicole Branagh (volleyball, 1997-2000), Mike Crowley (hockey, 1994-1997), Ben Hamilton (football, 1997-2000), Mike Hebert (volleyball coach, 1996-2010), Joe Pollack (baseball, 1963-1965) and Robb Quinlan (baseball, 1996-1999), along with legends Garth Lappin (wrestling, 1934-1937), Urban Odson (football, 1939-1941), Vicki Swanson (volleyball, 1976/softball, 1977-1978) and John Whitaker (wrestling, 1935-1937).  The official induction will be on September 22 at the Ted Mann Concert Hall on campus.

In celebration of its 15^th season, the WNBA has selected 30 nominees for fan voting to determine the top 15 players of all time.  Lynx players Seimone Augustus and Taj McWilliams-Franklin are among the 30, along with ex-Lynx player Katie Smith. Fans can vote at www.wnba.com.

The Wild’s Cal Clutterbuck took to twitter on Wednesday using the name @roadtourclutter.  He announced he would only tweet for one day, but still had over 500 followers in his first four hours.

Timberwolves business executive Chris Wright told Sports Headliners that the franchise’s signing of Ricky Rubio to a contract last week jump-started season ticket sales. Wright reported yesterday morning that since noon last Friday the club has sold 500 new full season tickets.

Those sales have pushed the team’s full season ticket sales to about 7,000, the franchise’s best total since 2005-06.  (The Wolves also sell partial season ticket packages where fans can buy a portion of the home schedule.)

Rubio’s international name and flashy passing have caused excitement in this marketplace as fans anticipate his rookie season in 2011-12.  But Wright said the two year wait to get Rubio here after drafting him in 2009 accounts for the boom in ticket sales, too.  “There’s been a buzz building, and now he’s here,” Wright said.

With the addition of Rubio this fall, the Timberwolves are likely to have three European players on their roster:  Spain’s Rubio, and centers Darko Milicic from Serbia and Nikola Peckovic of Montenegro.

Wolves assistant general manager Tony Ronzone is known for his international scouting expertise.  It’s not that speculative to believe the Wolves’ roster of foreign born players will continue to grow.

German-born Dirk Nowitzki of the Dallas Mavericks was the 2011 NBA Finals MVP, and his selection symbolizes the presence and sometimes high performance of European players.  The Dallas forward earned the MVP award while leading the Mavericks to a six game series win over Miami.  No doubt European audiences watched with pride and will do the same tomorrow night when the NBA draft is televised from New York.

Reversing a trend of recent years when numbers were low, almost 25 percent of players drafted tomorrow evening are likely to be foreigners, most of them from Europe.  In their NBA draft previews last week Sports Illustrated and Sporting News Magazine predicted seven of the 30 first round draft choices will be from countries other than the United States.  (The number becomes eight if USC’s Nikola Vucevic, a player whose home is in Montenegro, is counted.)

Among the countries represented are Lithuania, a nation that both Sports Illustrated and Sporting News predicted would have two players chosen in the first round, forwards Jonas Valanciunas and Donatas Motiejunas.  S.I. predicted the Timberwolves will choose Motiejunas with their No. 20 pick in the first round.

Top American college players like Ohio State’s Jared Sullinger chose not to declare themselves eligible for this year’s draft.  The result is a less deep and talented draft that created opportunities for more foreign players to be chosen in the first round.