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Minneapolis/St. Paul – The following is a statement from Minnesota Timberwolves and Lynx owner Glen Taylor on the recent ESPN story and filed litigation:

“I am aware of the story published by ESPN and the litigation that has been filed. As a policy, we do not comment on pending legal matters. I stand by my prior statements and commitment to keeping the Timberwolves and Lynx in Minnesota.”

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Statement from Minnesota Timberwolves and Lynx Owner Glen Taylor

Minneapolis/St. Paul – It was announced this week that the Minnesota Timberwolves have received recognition for five awards from the Advertising Federation of Minnesota (AdFed) – a non-profit, professional trade association that for more than 110 years has served agencies, advertisers, suppliers and students in Minnesota.  

“The Timberwolves Marketing and Creative teams have worked extremely hard on creating campaigns that encompass both the culture and energy of the state of Minnesota,” said Timberwolves and Lynx Chief Marketing Officer Mike Grahl. “As a team that represents more than just the Twin Cities, we are extremely honored to be recognized by AdFed for creating content that speaks to fans across the entire state.” 

AdFed recognized the Timberwolves for five total awards, two bronze accolades and three silver accolades. The Timberwolves and their ad agency of record, Fallon, received silver honors for their local :60 sec television commercial for the Raised by Wolves campaign. The commercial debuted on Fox Sports North on Dec. 23rd in conjunction with the Timberwolves season opener and showcased a fresh, new season campaign that was highlighted by the track “Wolves” by Big Sean and Post Malone. 

Receiving bronze honors as part of the Raised by Wolves brand campaign was an illustration series brought to life by the Timberwolves marketing partner, Fallon. The illustrations reflect a hand drawn and custom watercolor font reflecting the edge and swagger of the team and were utilized across all creative developments in the campaign, including a billboard above First Avenue. 

At the start of the 2020-21 NBA Season, the Timberwolves debuted their North Star City Edition Uniforms, which received bronze honors for the creative brand campaign of the uniforms. The design elements for the North Star City Edition Platform represents our state and the star that shines bright to guide and unite. All key creative concepts across digital platforms, social media, content, broadcast and collateral were done in house.  

In alignment with the launch of the 2020-21 North Star City Edition Uniform, the Timberwolves released a :60 sec creative video spot that featured local artist Reggie LeFlore whose interpretation of the North Star City Edition creative brief came to life in a one of one painted portraiture. The piece of art was sold for $850 at auction, benefitting the Fastbreak Foundation and copies of the piece will be available to the public in the form of team merchandise at the team store. The video was produced in partnership with Triglass and featured music by local poet, writer and rapper Dua Saleh. 

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Minnesota Timberwolves Receive Recognition For Five Awards From AdFed

Minneapolis-St. Paul – Minnesota Timberwolves President of Basketball Operations Gersson Rosas tonight announced the team has acquired the draft rights to Mathias Lessort from the Los Angeles Clippers and a 2023 Second Round Pick from the Detroit Pistons in exchange for the draft rights to the number 33 pick in the 2020 NBA Draft Daniel Oturu.

Lessort, a 6-9 forward from Fort-de-France, Martinique, France, was originally drafted by the Philadelphia 76ers with the 50th pick in the 2017 NBA Draft. He currently plays for AS Monaco in the LNB Pro A League (France). In seven professional seasons overseas, Lessort has averaged 7.5 points on 59.0% shooting and 4.9 rebounds. He competed for the French National Team during the 2019 FIBA World Cup where he totaled 23 points and 13 rebounds in six games.

Oturu, a 6-10 forward/center, spent two seasons at the University of Minnesota where he ranked 26th in the nation in scoring (20.1 ppg), eighth in rebounding (11.3 rpg), tied for 21st in blocks (2.45 bpg) and 31st in field goal percentage (56.3) as a sophomore in 2019-20. Oturu earned honors as a 2019-20 AP All-America Honorable Mention selection and was named to the 2019-20 All-Big Ten Second Team and Big Ten All-Defensive Team.

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Timberwolves Acquire Draft Rights To Forward Mathias Lessort From Los Angeles Clippers

Minneapolis/St. Paul – Today, the Minnesota Timberwolves announced a partnership with Excel Sports Management to expand the team’s search for its next jersey patch sponsor. Excel Sports Management will serve as Minnesota’s exclusive third-party agency to help secure a new jersey patch partner in advance of the 2020-21 NBA season. 

“Our team partners are an extension of our organization. The NBA jersey patch is one of the most iconic placements in modern marketing, and we know Excel Sports Management will help find a partner for the historic 2020-21 NBA season,” said Chief Operating Officer of the Minnesota Timberwolves and Lynx, Ryan Tanke. “Minnesota is known for many things – our four seasons, our reputation for health andwellness, our plethora of Fortune 500 companies and our commitment to innovation and social advancement. We are excited to welcome a new partner into our Timberwolves family and as part of the future of our franchise.”  

The Timberwolves selected Excel Sports Management to assist in the search, as Excel has negotiated four NBA jersey patch deals to-date and is considered the go-to agency for guidance and execution on such searches. Excel Sports Management believes the organization’s leadership during the COVID-19 pandemic and within the league-wide antibody test, along with its pointed stance against social injustice will give companies more reason to partner with the organization.  

“The Timberwolves are a first-class organization with a tremendous business proposition that brands will want to be a part of,” said Jason Miller, SVP, Head of Properties, Excel Sports Management. “We see this opportunity as one of the most relevant and compelling positions available across the international sports landscape and we look forward to identifying a like-minded brand that shares the team’s values of community, innovation and advancement.” 

The jersey patch provides a global stage for a Timberwolves partner as NBA games are broadcast in 215 countries and has the largest social following amongst all sports leagues. The new Timberwolves jersey patch partner will be announced prior to the 2020-21 NBA season.  

Excel Sports Management is an industry-leading agency representing top-tier talent, blue-chip brands and marquee properties. Excel has twice won Sports Business Journal’s Best In Talent Representation and Management, is consistently named as one of the most valuable sports agencies in the world by Forbes and was acknowledged as one of Front Office Sports 2019 Best Places to Work. The agency has offices in New York, Miami and Los Angeles. For more information, visit excelsm.com.    

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Timberwolves Partner with Excel Sports Management to Lead Search for Next Jersey Patch Sponsor

SAINT PAUL, Minn. - Local broadcasters from the National Hockey League’s Minnesota Wild, Major League Soccer’s Minnesota United FC, Major League Baseball’s Minnesota Twins, National Football League’s Minnesota Vikings, National Basketball Association’s Minnesota Timberwolves and Women’s National Basketball Association’s Minnesota Lynx in conjunction with FOX Sports North and KFAN today launched Feed the Cities - Voices of Minnesota Sports. #OneMN 

Through the initiative, fans are encouraged to request video messages from Minnesota sports broadcasters through the personalized video shoutout platform Cameo. For a minimum $30 donation, the selected broadcaster will record a personalized video message. Proceeds will benefit Boys & Girls Clubs of the Twin Cities, Greater Twin Cities United Way and Second Harvest Heartland. Feed the Cities - Voices of Minnesota Sports is scheduled to end April 30. 

Fans can also donate directly to Feed the Cities - Voices of Minnesota Sports by texting ONEMN to 243725 or visiting give.onecause.com/onemn. Participating broadcasters include:

Anthony LaPanta - FSN play-by-play announcer

Audra Martin - FOX Sports North host/reporter

Rebekkah Brunson - FOX Sports North analyst

Marney Gellner - FSN reporter/play-by-play announcer

Paul Allen - KFAN play-by-play announcer

Greg Coleman - KFAN pre and post-game analyst

About Boys & Girls Clubs of the Twin Cities:

The Boys & Girls Clubs of the Twin Cities enable all young people, especially those who need us most, to reach their full potential as productive, caring, responsible citizens. The Boys & Girls Clubs of the Twin Cities strive to provide a high quality Club Experience that assures success is within reach of every young person who enters our doors, with all members on track to graduate from high school with a plan for the future, demonstrating good character and leadership, and living a healthy lifestyle. The Clubs represent more than 80 years of service to youth. Dedicated staff at ten metro-area locations and a rural environmental education center provide activities and support to more than 9,000 young people from kindergarten through high school graduation.  Club sites are placed in targeted neighborhoods where the need is greatest. The Club believes that each young person deserves the opportunity to strengthen academic and social skills, develop positive leadership traits, and learn healthy living behaviors. The Club is a place where great futures are built each and every day. For more information about how we’re supporting our kids and families during COVID-19, visit www.boysandgirls.org/COVID19. 

One in four people in the Twin Cities region are experiencing poverty. Greater Twin Cities United Way supports long-term wellbeing by working to provide equitable access for all to a strong education, stable housing, healthy food and good jobs. Through our public policy work, volunteer engagement, our 2-1-1 resource helpline, nonprofit leadership support and grant making, we take a holistic, long-term approach to help people meet their potential. When COVID-19 hit, we created the Greater Twin Cities COVID-19 Response and Recovery Fund to help people who are most vulnerable to the issues caused by this crisis. 100% of all donations goes directly into the community to provide support such as food, shelter, childcare, sanitary and hygiene supplies and financial assistance. To donate directly to Greater Twin Cities United Way text GTCUWCOVID19 to 51555. For more information, visit www.gtcuw.org 

Hunger doesn’t wait. While COVID-19 affects our community, helping neighbors experiencing hunger is more necessary than ever. Missing work and an uncertain economy mean families are missing meals. Second Harvest Heartland’s COVID-19 plans includes emergency food boxes, prepared meals from Minnesota Central Kitchen, access to SNAP (food stamps), extra measures to keep Second Harvest Heartland employees and food safe, and partnering with elected officials. We are all concerned about staying safe and reducing our exposure to illness. But for some of our neighbors, a lack of resources means they can’t afford to stock up on food. Please donate at www.2harvest.org/emergencyfood to fund an emergency food box today. You can also learn more about Second Harvest Heartland’s COVID-19 response by visiting www.2harvest.org/covid19update. 

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Local Professional Sports Broadcasters Launch Feed The Cities - Voices Of Minnesota Sports

The Towns family is heartbroken by the untimely passing of Jacqueline Towns due complications as a result of COVID-19.

Jackie, as she was affectionately known among family and friends, had been battling the virus for more than a month when she succumbed on April 13th.Jackie was many things to many people - a wife, mother, daughter, grandmother, sister, aunt, and friend.  The matriarch of the Towns family, she was an incredible source of strength; a fiery, caring, and extremely loving person, who touched everyone she met.  Her passion was palpable and her energy will never be replaced.The Towns family is extremely grateful for the outpouring of love and support they have received during this very difficult time.  They would like to thank the medical warriors at Penn Presbyterian Medical Center and JFK Medical Center, who fought for Jackie day in and day out, and helped Karl Sr. recover from the same virus that took Jackie’s life.

The family is devastated by their tremendous loss, and respectfully requests privacy in this time of great mourning.

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Statement From A Towns Family Spokesperson:

Kyle Ratke, Digital Content Manager: I wish we were doing this under better circumstances, but here we are. 

For starters, I hope all of you and your families are all safe and healthy during this uncomfortable time. Please follow the instructions from the CDC on how to best protect yourself and others. The “I’m young and healthy and will be fine if I get this” logic is flat-out wrong. A.) You don’t know if you’d be healthy if you’d acquire coronavirus. Why in the world would you want to test that? And B.) This is about the people who are the most vulnerable. Let’s do our best to protect them.

Both Katie and I are working from home, as is the Timberwolves & Lynx organization for the foreseeable future. We’re about a week past when we found out Rudy Gobert, and later Donovan Mitchell, had tested positive for COVID-19. 

After that, it seemed like all of the dominos fell and we saw sports across the United States either cancel tournaments and seasons or postpone them. The country as a whole followed after. 

Katie, what was your initial reaction when you found out an NBA player had tested positive?

Katie Davidson, Digital Content Associate: I was actually on a run when I got a notification from either Woj or Shams about the Thunder vs. Jazz game being postponed just as they were about to tip-off. 

From there, I don’t think I really had time to process anything. I don’t remember the exact timeline but it seemed like within the hour we found out Gobert had tested positive. I remember messaging you and the rest of our team when I found out, and your response was something like, “They have to postpone the season.” 

Sure enough, in a matter of minutes, the suspension was announced. As much as we’re missing hoops right now, it was absolutely the right call, and I’m glad the league acted as quickly as it did. Attempting to keep as many players, coaches, fans, officials, etc. healthy is so much more important than having the season go on as scheduled. 

There are plenty of things to be more concerned about, but it’s still pretty sad to think about how long we’ll be without basketball. What have you missed the most about the season since the hiatus?

Ratke: I don’t know if this makes any sense, but I guess the certainty of it. I knew there were going to be games on these certain days and could plan accordingly. That also is a reminder of how incredibly lucky we are. 

Since our world has been totally flipped. What is the new normal? I’m not sure, but it feels like we’re going to have plenty of time to figure that out. I say that as someone who works for a team, but I think that goes for every American. This is an uncertain time and each morning, I’m not sure anyone knows what’s going to happen on a given day.

In the grand scheme of life, sports aren’t all that important. But they serve as an escape to so many people. I’ve realized very quickly that watching sports and sports only for 29 years of my life really boxed me in. It turns out, there are other things.

Over the last week, we’ve seen Karl-Anthony Towns make a $100,000 donation to Mayo Clinic for COVID-19 research, and owner Glen Taylor has pledged he’ll pay up to $1 million to pay Target Center gameday employees.

It's worth noting that the Timberwolves do not own the Target Center and the Target Center employees are not technically Taylor's employees. That made the process take a little longer, but there was no doubt from the beginning that Taylor was going to help the situation. There were just some technicalities that had to be dealt with prior.

Those are moves that didn't have to be made. I hate saying “the silver lining of this is . . .” because I think that’s probably pretty insensitive, but it has proven how family-oriented the NBA family is, right?

It’s been moving to see teams, owners and individual players go out of their way to help those in need league-wide, and I guess it doesn’t really surprise me since this league has always emphasized the importance of giving back and been so interactive with its fans.

As far as Towns’ donation goes, again, I wasn’t surprised because he has always made it his mission to give back either to young basketball players or those in need. But seeing him step up like that impressed me even more.

Same goes for the Taylor family. I figured it was only a matter of time before he worked out the logistics to support Target Center’s staff considering how friendly he is with the in-game staff. It takes about five minutes for him and Becky just to get to their seats because they’re greeting and talking to every staff member they run into once they enter the arena. 

Personally, it’s very comforting to know I work for a franchise that values the well-being of its employees and is doing its best to commit to transparency during this time of countless unknowns. Sadly, many people in our world don’t have that sense of security right now.

Don’t get me wrong — there are still plenty of questions the league has yet to answer that will most likely go unanswered for quite some time. But what have you learned about the status of the league and its players this week? 

Ratke: I think we all kind of know the same. We don’t know when the season will be back. Will the regular season be played? Will the playoffs be shortened? How will that trickle into the summer with the draft and Summer League? These are all huge questions and I’m certainly glad Adam Silver is the Commissioner of the league throughout all of this. 

Another shoutout to a leader. Timberwolves & Lynx CEO Ethan Casson has been sending emails every other day to our entire staff giving us updates and advice on how to feel comfortable working from home, along with how to feel our best mentally. He even urged us to learn a new language! I’m not writing this to get any brownie points (I mean, if you wanna throw a few my way, cool), but I think Casson has given the staff a sense of safety in a time when I think we all need it.

With all of this, our content team is still working. We have daily video calls, and yesterday, our Motion Graphics Animation Manager, Joe, wore an Andrei Kirilenko jersey for it. A true legend.

To start the week, a few of us have been working on our WNBA Draft Central site. You can check this out here.

Besides work . . . What are you doing to pass time at home? Reading? TV shows? Movies? Sleeping 17 hours a day? 

Davidson: Thank you for all of your guidance with the Draft Central site. 

I would have much rather spent this week watching WNBA prospects make a name for themselves in the NCAA Tournament, but getting back to writing about basketball was still enjoyable. As of now, the WNBA draft is still scheduled for April 17, and I think readers should expect more basketball-related content once we begin to figure out our new normal.

I’ve been getting up earlier in the mornings and trying to catch up on the news and read a chapter of a book before I dive into work. But I’ve definitely spent more hours watching TV than reading (I’d highly recommend Hulu’s new “Little Fires Everywhere” series starring Reese Witherspoon and Kerry Washington). Not having West Coast games to watch until midnight has done wonders for my sleep schedule, but I’d still prefer the alternative.

How’ve you been killing time? Looks like your cat is about ready to kick you out of your house.

Ratke: Yeah, my cat is ready to give me the boot. It’s amazing how much cats sleep. If there’s anything I’ve learned so far from this experience, it’s that. Not super productive animals.

I’ve been reading a lot more. I’ll spend an hour or two reading articles from various sites throughout the day. I’m currently on season three of “The Wire” which has turned out to be awesome. The series is from 2002-2008, so that’s a little different, but overall, awesome show. Highly recommend it.

That should wrap this up. Thanks to everyone for reading and please be safe and smart. Hopefully, we’ll be writing about basketball soon. Until then, we’ll do our best to keep you engaged in Timberwolves' land. 

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Roundtable | What's Next In An Uncertain Time For The NBA?

NEW YORK, March 11, 2020 – The NBA announced that a player on the Utah Jazz has preliminarily tested positive for COVID-19.  The test result was reported shortly prior to the tip-off of tonight’s game between the Jazz and Oklahoma City Thunder at Chesapeake Energy Arena.  At that time, Wednesday's game was canceled.  The affected player was not in the arena. 

The NBA is suspending game play following the conclusion of Wednesday night's schedule of games until further notice.  The NBA will use this hiatus to determine next steps for moving forward in regard to the coronavirus pandemic. 

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NBA To Suspend Season Following Wednesday Night's Games

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