Wolves Re-Sign Gomes

Minnesota Timberwolves Vice President of Basketball Operations Kevin McHale today announced the team has re-signed restricted free-agent forward Ryan Gomes. Per team policy, terms of the deal were not disclosed.

"We're really happy to have re-signed Ryan. He was one of our most consistent performers last year, and one of our top priorities this offseason was keeping him in a Wolves uniform," McHale said. "Ryan is the consummate professional and a great asset to our organization both on the court and in the community."

The Timberwolves acquired Gomes on July 31, 2007 in a trade with Boston. In his lone season with Minnesota, the 6-7, 250-pound forward averaged career highs with 12.6 points and 5.8 rebounds per game, including a career-high 35-point effort against Golden State on Jan. 21. For the first time in his career, Gomes appeared in all 82 games for the Wolves, starting 74 (including the final 58 contests). Originally selected by Boston with the 50th overall pick (second round) in the 2005 NBA Draft, Gomes has appeared in 216 NBA games, posting career averages of 11.0 points, 5.5 rebounds and 1.5 assists per game.

Today, while addressing the media at Minneapolis' Farview Community Center, Gomes also announced that his Hoops For Heart Health Foundation will continue its "Let the Beat Go On..." Awareness Tour during the 2008-09 NBA season. Last year, Hoops for Heart Health donated 14 Automatic External Defibrillators (AED) to various NBA cities, including two in the Twin Cities: Farview Community Center in Minneapolis and the Jimmy Lee Recreation Center in St. Paul.

Through the "Let the Beat Go On..." Tour, Gomes plans on donating another AED in the Minneapolis-St. Paul community as well as the 17 remaining NBA cities that he didn't reach last season. The tour's goal is to promote awareness of Sudden Cardiac Arrest (SCA) in youth athletics. Gomes' Hoops for Heart Health Foundation has partnered with Cardiac Science Corporation to help raise awareness for SCA. Together, they have pledged to donate AEDs at schools, athletic facilities and recreation centers across the country.