As it is ever year, the 2016 U.S. Bank Caravan was another success.
This year, the Wolves traveled from Minneapolis to Austin, to Eau Claire, Wisc., to Duluth and back to Minneapolis.
The trip went from Aug. 15-17.
The representatives from the Wolves were Cole Aldrich, Shabazz Muhammad and assistant coach Ryan Saunders.
It was a unique experience for each member. For Aldrich, it was a mini-homecoming tour considering he was born in Burnsville and signed with the Wolves this offseason after playing in Los Angeles last season.
“It’s awesome,” Aldrich said on the team’s first stop. “To be here in Austin really means a lot. Just coming out and showing support to the people that really support us in the state.”
Each visit to each city started with a clinic that ranged from 100-200 kids. That’s where the players, and especially Saunders, shined.
Saunders did a great job of blending basketball advice with real-life advice.
“There are a lot of things that we can address at the ground-level, like treating people right, being inclusive, no bullying in school, so if we can focus on the little things, the rest will take care of itself,” Saunders said.
And then there was the golf. The group golfed with U.S. Bank employees along with other members of each community. Aldrich compared his golf game to Gary Woodland, a friend of his. Saunders sounded like things could have gone better. And Muhammad was baffled on the concentration the pros have for a full 18 holes.
“It was good, I’ve golfed before but I was pretty terrible today,” Muhammad said in Eau Claire. “It’s exhausting, I mean you have to give it to the professional golfers who play 18 holes, just playing nine holes is exhausting, so I couldn’t imagine playing 18. It was definitely fun to play out here and giving back to the community and little guys out there and doing the camps is a really fun thing for me.”
The Caravan is a cool way for fans who may not be able to get to the Target Center all that often to see and interact with players. For the players, it’s a great way to reach out to fans through camps, lunch and golf. Another aspect of the Caravan is that the three were able to bond on the bus and at events for pretty much three straight days.
“It’s great,” Aldrich said. “Anytime you get to spend together as a small team, it goes a long way. I’ve known Ryan for quite a few years and Shabazz a few more, too. But to spend time with them, they’re great guys and their wealth of knowledge on the court is a lot.”
After talking with fans about the season and being around other members of the organization, the Wolves are ready to get the season rolling.
I’m always excited,” Saunders said. “There’s nothing like being around the comradery of a team, being around the team every day and working towards a goal. Like I’ve stressed, everyone has expectations, but I don’t think it’s fair to put a numerical number or an end point, but I think it’s about getting better each day and then everything takes care of itself.”