Timberwolves – Page 81 – David Shama's Minnesota Sports Headliners

The Kid Sure Looked Like Prince

Posted on April 27, 2016April 27, 2016 by David Shama

In the days since Prince’s death last week, it seems like most of the world has a story about him. I thought I had one, too.

Back in the early 1970s my ninth grade boys basketball team, the Ramsey All-Stars, played Bryant Junior High whose roster included a really small kid with a big Afro. After Prince became famous, I thought the little guy was him. This made a nice memory for a long time because not only did my Ramsey team defeat our south Minneapolis rivals, but we played against a future music legend.

Uh, oh.

A couple of days ago I called one of the Ramsey players I coached. He let the air out of my balloon pronto, telling me Prince was a few years younger than my bunch and the mysterious little guy we played back in the day wasn’t Prince Rogers Nelson.

So I turned to my friend Al Nuness, the former Gophers basketball captain who has true Prince stories in his “memory bank.” Nuness took a job as a physical education teacher and basketball coach at Central High School in 1971. At the time Prince was at Bryant, the junior high school located near Central. Prince was drawn to basketball and so was his brother Duane and Prince’s best friend Paul Mitchell.

It didn’t take Nuness long to meet up with the threesome who regularly rode their bikes over to Central. “These guys would sneak into the Central gym, and they would bring their dog with them,” Nuness told Sports Headliners. “My office had a window that looked right into the gym. I would see these kids and I heard this dog barking. I’d chase these guys out of the gym at least three days a week. I have no idea how they got (in) there. …They were good kids.”

Prince eventually played on the Central sophomore team but never the varsity. “He was a good player,” Nuness remembered. “He loved basketball. He was quick, (but) he was small. Prince was 5-6 in his high heel shoes. He was probably 5-2 in his stocking feet.”

At Central it was evident music, not hoops, was Prince’s future. Nuness and others saw he was a natural. “This kid could not read music. He played everything by ear. He could play five instruments. He was the music guy in school.”

Prince was even part of a band while at Central. “They were playing for adult parties back when they were in high school,” Nuness said.

When Nuness became a sales and community affairs executive for the startup Timberwolves franchise in the late 1980s, he called Prince’s office. Nuness wanted to make sure the basketball-loving Prince had the opportunity to purchase prime seats to watch Minneapolis’ new NBA franchise.

The person who answered the telephone at Prince’s office didn’t know Nuness and said he didn’t believe his boss was interested in tickets. “I said, ‘Will you tell Prince coach Nuness called?’

“The guy called me back five minutes later and said, ‘Hey, I am really sorry. I didn’t know. Yes, Prince wants to talk to you. Yes, he wants season tickets.’

“The guy was very apologetic.”

There was another time Nuness learned the famous entertainer hadn’t forgotten about the coach who many years before had chased him out of the gym. Kelly Smith, a young lady who was a friend of the Nuness family, was a Prince fanatic and formed a Prince fan club in Chicago. Smith called Nuness because she remembered his Central connection to Prince. Nuness responded by sending her an old Central yearbook that included Prince—but that wasn’t the end of hearing from Smith.

“She just went crazy (after receiving the yearbook), and so she calls me back and she says, ‘I need something.’

“I said, ‘What do you need now, Kelly?’ She says, ‘Can you get a picture of Prince in front of his house?’

“I said, ‘What? Prince doesn’t give pictures out. He doesn’t do stuff like that.’

“She said, ‘Oh, but I know you can get it for me.’

“I called his brother Duane. I said, ‘Duane, I need you to get me a picture of Prince in front of his house.’

“He said, ‘Coach, you want me to do what (then)’?

“I said, ‘Duane, this is coach Nuness. You tell Prince that coach Nuness wants a picture of him in front of his house.’ This is when he lived on Lake Riley in Chanhassen and had that purple house.

“He said, ‘All right, coach.’

“A week later I got a picture in the mail—Prince sitting on top of his car in front of his house. I sent it to Kelly.

“I said, ‘Kelly, don’t ask me for anything else.’ ”

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Could Izzo be Next Wolves Coach?

Posted on April 18, 2016April 18, 2016 by David Shama

A sports industry source told Sports Headliners Tom Izzo has been contacted about the vacancy created last week with the dismissal of Timberwolves interim head coach Sam Mitchell. Izzo, 61, is one of college basketball’s icons because he has coached Michigan State to a Big Ten record 19-straight NCAA Tournaments including seven Final Fours and a national title.

Izzo came to Michigan State as a part-time assistant coach in 1983. He has been MSU’s head coach since the 1995-1996 season and earlier this month was elected to the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame. NBA teams, including the Cavaliers and Pistons, have reportedly flirted with hiring him previously.

Flip Saunders (Photo courtesy of Minnesota Timberwolves).

It’s believed the Wolves were also one of those teams two years ago. The late Flip Saunders, as the franchise’s president of basketball operations, was looking for a coach to succeed Rick Adelman in the spring of 2014. Saunders and Izzo were buddies, and it’s possible Izzo may have been offered the Wolves job. Ultimately Saunders made himself coach and continued in that role and as the franchise’s basketball boss until his death last fall.

Jim Dutcher coached Saunders with the Gophers. He said Saunders and Izzo became close friends years ago. “He (Izzo) read scripture at Flip’s memorial service,” Dutcher remembered.

Izzo is a highly likeable personality and is known for having a big heart. A native of Iron Mountain, Michigan who attended college at Northern Michigan, Izzo has loved mentoring young players and shown unusual loyalty by staying so many years at MSU. Would he want a new career challenge at this stage of his life?

Maybe he would be drawn to Minneapolis by his relationship with Saunders. The opportunity to continue the work of his friend in changing the Wolves from a joke franchise to a place among the NBA’s elite could be rewarding for Izzo.

The Wolves’ coaching job is attractive, too, because of a young and talented nucleus of players that Saunders assembled. Led by forward Andrew Wiggins, last year’s NBA Rookie of the Year, and center Karl-Anthony Towns, a lock to win the same award this year, the Wolves have a roster that still needs more playing experience. That roster also needs a few personnel changes and superior coaching to move toward division, conference and—possibly one day—Minneapolis’s first NBA championship since the Lakers won it all in 1954.

Indications are Wolves owner Glen Taylor is ready to spend significant money to hire a power coach. The source referred to in the opening paragraph said three other well-known names have already been contacted about the vacancy—Scott Brooks, Dave Joerger and Tom Thibodeau.

Brooks and Thibodeau have ties to the late Bill Musselman, the Wolves first coach. Brooks played for Musselman in the early 1990s while Thibodeau was an assistant during that period. Brooks was head coach of the Thunder until last year and successfully helped develop a young roster in Oklahoma City. Thibodeau was dismissed as the Bulls’ head coach last year after wowing the NBA with his defensive tutoring—a skill set that has to be on the to-do list of Wolves players. Joerger, currently the Grizzlies head coach, is a Minnesota native and it’s believed Saunders and Taylor were interested in hiring him two years ago.

The Wolves leadership is influx. General manager Milt Newton, who held that title under Saunders, now has more basketball personnel power but Taylor told Sports Headliners a couple weeks ago his GM is being evaluated too. A source said the Wolves are open to a structure like they had when Saunders carried the titles of both coach and president of basketball operations.

Perhaps Taylor decided awhile ago to fire Mitchell. In his interview with Sports Headliners, Taylor offered few words of praise about Mitchell who had been an assistant under Saunders.

The Wolves are receiving assistance on their coaching and front office review from search firm Korn Ferry.

Worth Noting

Ron Gardenhire has been hired as a special assistant to general manager Terry Ryan. The Twins made the announcement this afternoon that Gardenhire, who managed the team before being replaced by Paul Moltior after the 2014 season, will be a roving instructor and evaluator in the club’s minor league system.

Three sources told Sports Headliners Gary Trent Jr., the highly recruited Apple Valley High School shooting guard, is considering a prep school in 2016-2017. He has apparently visited at least two prep schools and one of them might be national basketball power Findlay Prep in Henderson, Nevada.

Trent, who is finishing his junior year at Apple Valley, may want to compete against better and stronger players in practice by playing for a prep school. Already considered a potential NBA prospect, Trent is physically strong and has superior strength compared to Eagle teammates.

“I feel a guess is he is headed out (from Apple Valley),” said a source who knows Trent.

Trent, who averaged 26.4 points per game last season, hasn’t selected a college but Ohio State or Duke could be his final choice, the source said.

Former Cooper High School star Rashad Vaughn transferred to Findlay for his senior year and then played one college season at UNLV. Vaughn, a shooting guard, was a first round pick in last year’s NBA Draft. Playing for the Bucks in 70 games this season, he averaged only 3.1 points while making 29.5 percent of his field goal attempts.

Casey O'Brien (photo courtesy of Abe Booker III, Stratman Photography). — Casey O’Brien (photo courtesy of Abe Booker III, Stratman Photography).

There were many recipients last night at the Minnesota Football Honors event at the Hilton Minneapolis but only one person received a standing ovation from the audience. Casey O’Brien, who twice has dramatically recovered from cancer, received the Courage Award at the event organized by the Minnesota Chapter of the National Football Foundation and College Hall of Fame.

The Cretin-Derham Hall junior has taken inspiration from football and hopes to be a co-captain and holder on the Raiders team next season. The Raiders new coach will be former Viking Brooks Bollinger who played collegiately at Wisconsin. Asked by emcee Frank Vascellaro for confirmation about Bollinger’s Badger roots, O’Brien quipped, “Sadly.”

At the event the Vikings announced the following 2015 award winners: Community Man of the Year Chad Greenway; Rookie of the Year Stefon Diggs; Offensive Player of the Year Adrian Peterson; Defensive Player of the Year Linval Joseph; and Special lTeams Player of the Year Adam Thielen. All of the players were present to accept awards except Peterson who was out of the country on a Starkey Hearing Foundation mission.

For a complete list of those honored last night, including scholar-athlete winners, see the March 16 Sports Headliners.

The Wild learns tonight whether home ice can help make a series out of Minnesota’s first round matchup with the Stars. In franchise history the Wild is 12-14 in Stanley Cup Playoff games at Xcel Energy Center including 7-4 the last two postseasons. The Wild trails Dallas 2-0 in the series and it looks like Minnesota will play again without injured leaders Zach Parise and Thomas Vanek.

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Status Undecided on Wolves Leaders

Posted on April 6, 2016April 6, 2016 by David Shama

Glen Taylor will soon decide Sam Mitchell’s status as Timberwolves coach. The Wolves owner told Sports Headliners the final decision will be his, and Taylor said he also is undecided about the franchise’s long term commitment to general manager Milt Newton.

Both Mitchell and Newton unexpectedly found themselves with increased responsibilities after the death of Flip Saunders last October. Saunders was not only the team’s coach, but also the boss of player personnel including the NBA Draft and roster makeup.

Taylor relied heavily on Saunders for all things basketball in the organization. Without Saunders, he elevated Mitchell from assistant coach to interim head coach. Newton carried the title of general manager before Saunders died but his authority to run the basketball department increased last fall.

In the weeks ahead, Taylor will determine if Mitchell and Newton continue in their current roles. The Timberwolves’ season ends next week and Taylor said within a “couple of weeks” he will decide on Mitchell. “I think that’s probably the appropriate time that I would make a decision,” Taylor said.

Taylor’s process will include analyzing Timberwolves statistics from the 2015-2016 season and from talking to others—perhaps sources from both inside and outside the organization. Sometimes in professional sports the input of a franchise’s general manager about a coaching decision is the final word but Newton’s interim authority apparently places him in a different position.

“I don’t think it’s fair for me to push that on Milt (deciding on Mitchell) at this point,” Taylor said. “I think it’s Glen’s (mine). I am going to ask him (Newton) for his opinion and why.”

During an interview Taylor gave no indication whether Mitchell or Newton will be retained. The Timberwolves had a 16-66 record last season and with four games remaining this year are 26-52 including a highlight video overtime win over the Warriors last night in Oakland. The team has a promising young roster that includes four players 21 or younger. No starter is over 26.

That roster was assembled by Saunders, and Taylor has to decide who will guide the development of a team he believes can be a champion. “We just have to put all the rest of the elements into place and be a little patient and drive towards that,” he said.

Timberwolves center Karl-Anthony Towns is expected to easily win this season’s NBA Rookie of the Year Award. Forward Andrew Wiggins won the award last season. Because of the franchise’s talented young roster, there could be an impressive list of potential coaches Taylor can talk to if he decides to let Mitchell go.

Taylor has been contacted by representatives of coaches who might be interested, but not directly by a potential coach. “No coach has called me up and said at this point, ‘I want the job,’ “ Taylor said.

The NBA Draft will be held June, 23, 2016. Taylor will allow Newton and his staff to determine who the Timberwolves choose in the first two rounds and what college free agents the club will pursue. “He’s got the same people internally that Flip would have had, so I just ask him to proceed,” Taylor said.

But Newton knows his status and authority with the Timberwolves are uncertain, and seems likely to be decided after the draft. “At some point I have to let him know if it’s going to continue or not continue,” Taylor said.

Worth Noting

Taylor said Wolves starting point guard Ricky Rubio will play for the Spanish Olympic team this summer. Taylor said he is pleased with the development of the fifth-year NBA player.

“I know that he has played with an ankle that hasn’t been 100 percent, but you wouldn’t necessarily notice that with…how hard he plays,” Taylor said. “So he does some really wonderful things. His assists, his steals, his defense. He’s one of the top guards in all of these areas in the league.”

Glen Taylor (Photo courtesy of Timberwolves)

Taylor’s 75th birthday is April 20. How does he feel about it? “About the same as 74,” he answered. “It goes too fast.”

The Gophers’ spring football practices end this week. After Saturday’s Spring Game at TCF Bank Stadium head coach Tracy Claeys might still be looking for personnel. He said on WCCO Radio’s Sports Huddle last Sunday the offensive line lacks depth and he may recruit a junior college transfer. A few months ago the Gophers added offensive linemen Vincent Calhoun and Garrison Wright, both junior college transfers and potential starters next season.

Former Chanhassen High School all-state lineman Frank Ragnow will be a junior next season at Arkansas and Razorbacks coach Bret Bielema praises Ragnow’s skills. “In my career he is one of the more talented interior linemen I’ve ever been around,” Bielema told Sports Headliners. “He’ll play next year (for Arkansas in 2016), his third year. My guess is he’ll have a decision to make at the end of that (about entering the NFL Draft).

“He’s a very, very talented player that knows football very, very, well. He’s steadily put on good solid weight. He’s come in at a 280 pound guy…(now) 315 to 320 ballpark. Extremely intelligent. He’s a coach’s dream.”

Ragnow is the lone Minnesotan on Bielema’s roster but he’s looking for more. The former Wisconsin coach recruited Minnesota for many years and is particularly interested in finding big high school linemen from this state.

“We’re kind of looking for (more) Franks,” Bielema said. “We’re looking for guys that are in that 6-4 ballpark, that can run, are very agile, very moveable players that fit into our offense very well.”

Philip Nelson, the former Mankato West High School star who played for the Gophers, is trying to win the East Carolina starting quarterback job this spring. Nelson, who will be a senior next season, is in a two-man competition to become the Pirates’ starter after sitting out last season as a transfer.

East Carolina athletic director Jeff Compher told Sports Headliners Nelson has made a positive impression on and off the field including academically last semester. “I believe he had a 4.0 (GPA),” Compher said.

Major League Football has decided to hold off on the formal start of its initial season until next year. Former Vikings assistant coach Dean Dalton is an executive with the league that believes there is a spring market for pro football.

The Twins (0-1) play their second game of the season tonight against the Orioles. Joe Mauer has hit safely in 11 straight games against the Orioles, batting .348 (16-for-46). Trevor Plouffe is hitting .315 (35-for-111) with 12 doubles, one triple, two home runs, 15 RBI and 12 runs scored in 30 career games against the Orioles. Brian Dozier has hit safely in 15 of his last 17 games against Baltimore, batting .296 (21-for-71) with two doubles, three home runs, 10 RBI and 14 runs scored.

The NHL will announce schedules Sunday for the first round of the Stanley Cup Playoffs. The Wild has qualified for a fourth consecutive season.

Promoters of the new U.S. Bank Stadium hope to some day book the pro wrestling extravaganza known as WrestleMania, and with good reason. The WWE’s WrestleMania 32 drew an event record attendance of 101,763 on Sunday at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas.

Former Gophers basketball captain Al Nuness is doing consulting work for Jostens, and is also involved with supervising students at Hopkins High School.

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