Road Rules: Duluth
Jonah BallowWolves Editor/Writer
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The team philosophy is just as important off the court for Ryan Gomes, Corey Brewer, and assistant coach J.B. Bickerstaff. These three men have specific roles during the NBA season that were illustrated during the final stop of the U.S. Bank – Timberwolves Caravan in Duluth.
On Friday afternoon, the Wolves’ helped build a shed for Shala Topping and her 3-year old at the Habitat for Humanity construction site. While lifting the heavy wood frames, the guys fell into their natural roles.
“We had a nice cast, you know,” Gomes explained. “Strong guy was there (Gomes), the not so strong guy (Brewer), and the in-between guy, which was J.B. so we put it together. We are all a team, so we are trying to do things the right way. But I take a lot of credit for being the strength of the operation.”
The shed is located to the right of the new house, which is set to be finished by November. The Habitat for Humanity organization focuses on eliminating poverty housing and homelessness.
“It would be a thankful Thanksgiving, so I’m really looking forward to it,” Topping said.
The appearance by the players certainly added an emotional element to Topping’s new home, “It means a lot, it makes me feel important and brings attention to the Habitat for Humanity, the homes and what they do and how they are putting in their time to help someone else.”
An unsuspecting second family was also surprised at the site to see Gomes, Brewer, and Bickerstaff. Gomes emphasized the importance of the visit by the Caravan team, “We all have our dream homes, I still have a dream home that is not built yet in my head that I want to get to. Coming out here and building this shed and people getting their own homes is a special thing. A home is the first thing you need in your life. You need a place to have shelter and this is what they will get, so this is a blessing for them, and we are glad to be a part of this.”
Five hours prior to the players wearing the hard hats, they instructed basketball fundamentals at the Romano Gym on the University of Minnesota Duluth campus. The chemistry between Gomes, Brewer, and Bickerstaff shined brightly in front of the children with their combination of comedic skills and tutelage. At one point, Gomes and Brewer disappeared while Bickerstaff was speaking, creating a loud roar of laughter from the kids. Eventually, both players returned to the gym to complete a truly entertaining two-hour event.
Following the clinic at UMD, the Caravan coasted to the Northland Country Club for lunch with U.S. Bank clients and staff members. Bickerstaff spoke to the 20-plus people in attendance to explain the direction of the team. The assistant coach reiterated the goal for the Wolves in 2009-10; improve from the beginning of the season to the end. Bickerstaff also provided optimism surrounding the new-look team with draft picks Jonny Flynn, Wayne Ellington, and the possible arrival of Ricky Rubio. Gomes and Brewer answered a variety of questions, including which player is the most difficult to guard in the NBA. Interesting enough, the guys discussed this topic on the caravan on Thursday afternoon. Gomes quickly replied, “Kobe Bryant,” and Brewer shook his head with the thought of defending Manu Ginobili. The Q&A session left the guests with a true understanding of the dynamic personalities from Gomes, Brewer, and Bickerstaff. At 3:30 PM on Friday, the U.S. Bank-Timberwolves Caravan packed up and headed for Minneapolis to close the curtains on the three-day tour.
“Me, Corey Brewer, and J.B. Bickerstaff and the Timberwolves organization have enjoyed this the last couple of years. We put a lot of smiles on kids’ faces and we’re happy about that,” Gomes said.
Overall, the Caravan trip was a raging success with the franchise reaching the communities outside the metro area to thank the continued support from fans. Over 385 miles were covered as the Wolves touched the lives of children at the clinics, assisted Habitat for Humanity, and expressed the important relationship between U.S. Bank and the Minnesota Timberwolves.
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