February 18, 2024 • 34 mins
Western Conference All-Star coach Chris Finch joins Chris Haynes and Marc Stein for a wide-ranging discussion about the Timberwolves’ West-leading start and his unique path into NBA coaching in a live podcast appearance from the NBA Crossover Conversations stage at All-Star Weekend In Indianapolis.
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Episode Transcript
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Speaker 1 (00:00):
Welcome to This League Uncut in the rule of twenty
four hour NBA News. This is you, Chris Haynes. It's time,
work's time, It's so time. This League Uncut is underway
in on fire. This should be a good one.
Speaker 2 (00:25):
Everybody.
Speaker 3 (00:26):
Welcome in to a live edition of the This League
Uncut Podcast.
Speaker 2 (00:33):
I'm Mark Stein on the end of course Turner Sports.
Chris Haynes.
Speaker 3 (00:38):
We host the This League Uncut Podcast twice.
Speaker 2 (00:42):
A week, but we don't get to do it like
this too often.
Speaker 3 (00:47):
Live at All Star Weekend here in Indianapolis on the
NBA Crossover Stage, and we have a guest of honor
in about seven eight hours. He'll be coaching the Western
Conference All Stars from the Minnesota Timberwolves.
Speaker 2 (01:02):
Coach Chris Finch. Good morning, sir.
Speaker 4 (01:05):
Good morning, Thanks for having me on Wells Standing Ovation
right there.
Speaker 3 (01:11):
Minnesota, thirty nine and sixteen, number one seed in the West.
You were an eighth seed last season. You're coaching the
Western Conference All Stars. I'm guessing this is just how
you drew it up back in October when you guys
were well in training camp and planning this season out.
Speaker 5 (01:29):
Well, not exactly. We thought we'd be a lot better
than last year. We figured we could really make a
push to have a home court playoff spot, and you know,
at the end of the day, hopefully that's where it
continues to shake out. But we had a really really
good start of the season. I think we've jumped out
seventeen and four, played pretty good basketball since then too,
to keep our nose in front. But the guys have
(01:52):
been been great. We've been locked in. Defense has been
the key. They really enjoy playing with each other. We've
got good depth, great flaxibility, you know, a lot. We
have been relatively healthy, you know last year we were not.
So all the things point in the right direction. And
then most importantly, you know, when you make the type
(02:12):
of deal we made last year to bring in Rudy,
like these things just take time. They just do. I mean,
it's just set it time and again, you know, Lebron
goes to Miami, takes them a year, you know, to
figure it out. There's a lot of things that you've
got to learn about each other, a lot of roles
have to adjust, and our guys have done that and
we've seen that kind of coming slowly. And then, like
(02:33):
anything else, kind of all comes together at one time.
Speaker 3 (02:36):
When and where in your career was the last time
you coached an All Star game.
Speaker 5 (02:41):
I G League coached the G League All Star team
my first year. I think they would have been two
thousand and ten. Maybe it was in Dallas, Remember they
had the snowstorm. By the way, the G League All
Star Game might be the best game here all weekend
because they all play, because they're all being scouted by
the front offices who were do stop by, and it
(03:02):
might be the most competitive game of the entire weekend.
Speaker 3 (03:06):
And we only had one day of snow here in Indianapolis,
but Dallas was NonStop snow and hard, hard for people
to get to.
Speaker 5 (03:13):
Yeah, I kind of messed up the whole weekend after
the well I coached in the game, but I don't
think I left the hotel bar the rest of the weekend.
Speaker 4 (03:20):
So now we're having a good time here in Indianapolis.
This is not quite the worst All Star weekend for me.
Was Toronto two thousand. What year was that star sixteen?
Twenty sixteen? What did the temperature get?
Speaker 2 (03:35):
I don't know what the number was, but it was
way colder than that.
Speaker 4 (03:37):
Yeah, we didn't step outside, not once. Fitch I have
to hit you with the hard hitting question right now.
Speaker 5 (03:43):
I just say I was at that All Star Game too,
worked on behalf the NBA with basketball down borders, and
I can remember the lake freezing. You could see the
lake freezing like in one hundred yard segments almost in
front of our eyes.
Speaker 4 (03:55):
Usually All Star weekend myself, I like to hit up
all the shoe events, all the parties and what else.
You know, just all the brunches that's going on. Didn't
hit not one of them up that that weekend. It
was that serious offense. You're not getting it out of
this question, hard hitting question right here. With Lebron James
not showing up the practice yesterday, are you bringing him
(04:16):
off the bench tonight?
Speaker 5 (04:18):
Heck? Now, I'm trying to keep my job, So I was.
I was.
Speaker 4 (04:25):
We were talking a little bit before before we start recording.
Like I would think for most coaches, like once you
get that NBA head coaching job that you know on
the bucket list is to you know, coach an All
Star Game at one point because that major team is
having success and has the best record leading up to
the All Star break. But I would imagine like after
(04:45):
you get one, as you've seen with the commitments you
probably have after you get one, you probably want, you know,
your all star break to yourself after that, Like, what's
what's been the experience like for you?
Speaker 5 (04:55):
It's been a great experience. I mean it's a lot
of really kind of cool individual experiences come up and
just being able to bring you know, friends, family, you know,
close ones into the event and they all get a
special experience too. It's and then there's a lot of
waiting in between, you know, the next, the next things
that happen. But it it I've enjoyed the downtime. You know,
(05:19):
I took a nap yesterday. I never do that, sleep
in for a while today. I never do that. The
mental break is from the grind of the season is
just as important as the physical. You know, a lot
of people would like to get get away, go to
the beach, wherever they go. You know, I think we
get in trouble and these if we take these things
for granted, you know, and I think we get in
trouble if we you know, if we don't really try
(05:42):
to enjoy them. So yeah, next year we're assured that
we can't be here regardless. But you know, as long
as the great thing about being here is it means
your team's playing really, really well, and that's the most important.
Speaker 3 (05:54):
You made a bit of a Twitter splash yesterday with
your reaction to Anthony Edwards leftfty three's. In practice, they
did not go well in the skills competition. What are
the chances that you're gonna let him hoist a lefty
three tonight in this game?
Speaker 2 (06:09):
Can you stop him if.
Speaker 4 (06:10):
He said he's shooting lefty all game.
Speaker 5 (06:14):
Yeah, We're gonna have a conversation about that, I think,
in the spirit of heightening the competition around the game,
which I know the league is really pushing everyone to do.
We we need to get him to shoot right handed.
But he has a he's a left handed player. He
likes to attack left handed, he likes to finish left handed.
He might be and you know, even unbeknownst to him
(06:34):
left handed, he shoots a pretty well left handed. And
he's been pushing me to want to shoot one in
a game, a real game. Yeah, And so I said, okay,
if you make if you make three out of five,
you know you can do that. And he made four
out of five. So, but do you know, Anthony's has
got got an incredible amount of confidence. Thinks he can
do whatever he puts his mind to, and most of
(06:56):
the times he can't.
Speaker 4 (06:57):
Well, when you think about Anthony Edward, we were talking
about him potential super left handed jump shots. Let's talk
about the competition level of the All Star Game, Like,
do you feel as an obligation to get the guys
to play harder? What has been the message for you
with the team going into this game.
Speaker 5 (07:15):
Yeah, I do feel an obligation that we put on
the most the most competitive show we can. I know
the league is really pushing the players, and uh, you know,
we had a meeting with the league a week or
so ago where they went through some of the points
of emphasis of the weekend, and that was certainly one
is they kind of bringing the competition back. I think
(07:35):
one of the reasons they went back to East West
is to hopefully it would infuse some natural rivalry between
the game, within the game, between the players. But at
the end of the day, it's going to come down
to the players willingness to do it. Traditionally, and when
we were growing up, you know, these games would kind
of grow into a competitive, uh you know, competition. The
(07:56):
fourth quarters would probably be you know, more like a
regular NBA game. So yeah, I think there's a little
bit of anxiety about how this is going to go tonight.
I think if people will be honest with themselves, but
I'm hopeful that the guys, you know, bring it and compete.
Speaker 3 (08:12):
What realistically, as a coach, can you say to these
guys in terms of defense, what kind of defensive messaging
will there be pregame or during a timeout?
Speaker 2 (08:23):
What do you think you can really I.
Speaker 5 (08:25):
Mean, I mean, you just you're gonna you can tell
them to try to play some defense.
Speaker 4 (08:30):
You know.
Speaker 5 (08:30):
It's I mean, it's we're not going to be scheme based.
You know, we're not going to be out there with
any kind of great philosophy. Just comes down to their
level of individual competitiveness. You know, you don't want it
to get to the point where it's too cool to
play defense, you know, where everything's too cool you don't
want to try. People would feel like it's you know,
it's not cool to try hard, and I don't think
(08:53):
that looks good or feels good for anybody. I'm sure
in the beginning there'll be a lot of like feeling
it out, and then somebody's gonna have to set the tone,
you know, So the player are gonna have to go
out set the tone offensively and defensively, and that'll wake
up the rest of the troops.
Speaker 3 (09:09):
I'm sure defense has been such a big part of
your success with the Wolves this season. I'm sure you're
thrilled to have two of your own players on the
Western Conference All Stars, but Rudy Gobert is not here.
Speaker 2 (09:22):
I thought Rudy Gobert should have been an All Star.
Speaker 3 (09:25):
How hard do you think he's taking it that he
did not get selected, because you guys have the number
one d in the league, top ranked defense, and he's
obviously a huge part.
Speaker 5 (09:34):
Yeah, we thought he was deserving him an All Star nomination.
For sure. He was disappointed. We were disappointed for him,
but in true Rudy style, you know, he's used it
as great motivation and he's played some of his best
basketball ever in the last several weeks since being snubbed,
so to speak. So for us, you know, we're kind
(09:56):
of happy that he's on a beach somewhere, just.
Speaker 2 (09:58):
Relaxing and seething somewhere, seething and.
Speaker 5 (10:01):
Relaxing, fueling up for what's going to be a heck
of a stretch run. I know he's got his his
you know, his site set on bigger and better things
for him and us, and that's what's most important.
Speaker 4 (10:14):
Coach I've heard in other years prior. I don't know
if it's happened to you, but I'll ask, But there
have been times where other coaches where they have their
players participate in the All Star Games, they'll actually contact
the coach that's coaching that game and tell them, hey,
don't play my guy to like leave Malone. Has any
coaches contacted you about playing time?
Speaker 5 (10:36):
That has not happened, you know, but the players have
been pretty you know, pretty open and about what they
want to do. You know, we kind of checked in
where you know, how you're feeling, you know, what's your
body like, where you're at, you know, And so they've
given us a gauge where they think that they'd like
to play. Who wants to play the most? Oh, no,
I guess this is these are private conversations. You'll know
(10:56):
in a few hours. Yeah, you'll know in a few hours.
Speaker 4 (11:00):
If he played Lebron like forty minutes today. How with
Darth Ham.
Speaker 5 (11:04):
I think I think Lebron's going to tell me, but
how much you wanted to play? Yeah, probably right there.
Speaker 3 (11:19):
I'd like to go back many, many years because I
was fortunate to meet you. I think it's almost twenty
five years ago now. You were coaching the Sheffield Sharks
in England. After playing for the Sheffield Sharks, Nick Nurse
was coaching the Manchester Giants. I love to tell people
(11:39):
that I discovered the both of you, but.
Speaker 2 (11:40):
That's really kind of an exaggeration.
Speaker 3 (11:42):
Our mutual friend Ian Whittle a journalist in England at
the time. He was really the only journalist in England,
or pretty much the only journalist who was covering basketball,
and he introduced me to both you guys now and
I didn't ask too many questions because I was just
getting to meet the both of you. But had I
really put the full court press on you back in
nineteen ninety nine, what would you have said was your
(12:05):
vision for your career? What were you hoping to accomplish
at that point?
Speaker 5 (12:09):
Well, I think you know my I just thought I'd
come back and be coaching in college, probably in small colleges.
You know, that's always been my background. We grew up
in a small college environment. I didn't have a big network,
certainly in Division one. I didn't have any real network
into the NBA at that point in time. I mean,
I was just focused. I was so young then, probably
(12:33):
around you know, around about thirty the beginning of my career,
just trying to you know, win the British Basketball League
every every single season and then go from there. And
that's really it. I did have a few kind of
things happened in my career, like things that didn't happen. Actually,
I had a high school job back in Reading, Pennsylvania.
(12:55):
Is that I didn't get I was offered the job
and then the kind of get away from me for
political reasons at the last moment before I was even
allowed to start. It's a long story, but it's not important.
And then I had another really tiny job offer finalists
for a job a small school in upstate New York,
(13:15):
and I would have had to take a massive pay
cut to do it, but I just an effort to
get home. I just wanted to get home. And neither
of those things happened for me, And had they happened,
I wouldn't be sitting here, you know, I would be
either high school coach teaching in Pennsylvania or I'd be,
you know, on some small college career path right now
or whatever. But when those things didn't turn out for me,
(13:36):
I thought, what am I doing? Like, I'm I'm I'm
on a good path here in Europe. I need to
like maximize this opportunity, and I switched gears. I was like, Okay,
I want to get to I want to get out
to the bigger and better leagues. And when I went
to Germany, I want to eventually get to Spain. I
want to get to these top level countries. So that's
why I set my sights on and when I did that,
everything changed for me. Went to Germany but got fine.
(14:00):
That had to rebuild my career in Belgium, and that
was actually kind of the blessing in disguise because the
team there had a lot of money. We were able
to play in the European leagues. We did well in
European leagues, and then it started to snowball from there.
Speaker 2 (14:14):
And what do you think got you on the NBA radar?
Speaker 5 (14:17):
Well, I know sam Hinkey got me on the NBA radar.
They were when they launched their their D League in
the initiative of Rio Grand they were taking over basketball operations,
basically implementing the baseball model, and they just wanted somebody
that had a totally different profile from what they were
(14:38):
looking for. And unbeknownst to me at the time, they
wanted somebody who played fast, inefficient basketball, which we were
doing in Europe, not because we were more smart or
ahead of the curve, just because these were the types
of players I could afford, you know, guys who could
shoot threes, undersized centers that we played fast. You know,
I couldn't afford to compete in the European leagues against
these big centers and his more rugged teams because we
(15:00):
didn't have that type of money. So we built these
fast teams that shoot shot a lot of threes. And
they started looking for somebody, and my name kept coming up.
And Sam Hinkey has a philosophy that he here's something
from more than one person, he investigates it and whether
it be a book, a movie, some sort of Ted talk,
(15:20):
whatever it might be. You know, he's like, Okay, what's
going on here? So he reached out to me after
summer league. I was guest coach. Donnie Nelson was kind
enough with one of a few contacts because he's so
prevalent in Europe, and his scouting had invited me to
be a guest coach with the Dallas Mavericks and at
Summer League that year, Sam reached out and explained what
(15:41):
they were looking for and asked if I would be interested,
and I said sure. So that's that's kind of how
it all happened. And so Sam, Darryl mory Gerson rosis
you know those that triumpherent was really kind of the
crew that brought me to the league.
Speaker 3 (15:57):
And now almost twenty years later, you're coaching the West
All Stars and you're a tipsy and defense first coach.
Speaker 2 (16:03):
What happened to?
Speaker 5 (16:04):
What happened? I've always liked defense, just you know, somehow
along the way, I got tabbed to being an offensive guy.
That's what they wanted me to do in Houston. When
I went there, they said, Okay, we're gonna go to
the G League. We're gonna tinker around with this stuff,
and we're gonna see what we can do and how
far we can push the envelope offensively down there. And
it was one of the things that kind of like
(16:26):
gave me pause before I took the job, because I
thought it was like, it's still gonna be a circus act.
You know, it's what kind of I want to play
basketball coach, and I don't want to just do crazy things?
So now are in yeah, crazy things? I mean, look out,
the game's revolutionized, and you know everybody kind of plays
that way. But when we first made it to the league,
probably only eight ten teams were playing with pace, you know,
(16:50):
valuing shot selection. And then you know, once Golden State
kind of hit their stride, everything just exploded from there.
Speaker 4 (16:57):
So You've been around a bunch of head coaches and
I'm curious your perspective on this. You know, you have
coaches that are great at x's and o's, You've got
coaches that are great at communicating. You've got great coaches
that aren't great at communicating. But when you're coaching the
NBA level, what is the balance that you think that
you have to have in order to be successful in
(17:20):
like commanding the respect of the locker room, not losing guys,
and being efficient? Like, what are what are the features
you need to have?
Speaker 5 (17:28):
I would say for me, it's seventy thirty. You have
the seventy thirty seventy in the man management, you know,
just the relationship with the players, controlling the environment, managing
the staff, holding everybody accountable. You know, the x'es and
o's part is probably thirty percent for me. Staffs are
so big now that we can have so many guys
(17:49):
specialized in all the x's and o's. You know, we
have offensive defensive guys, we have special teams guys, we
have player development guys. I have a staff broken down
into transition coach, a pick and roll coach, almost like
football model, right, And I like that because it gives
those guys like overview, accountability, ownership over something, empowers them
(18:11):
in that space. Then it's easy for me to hold
them accountable. Hey, you're supposed to be in charge of this,
we're not good enough at that. And then I just
can kind of like check in with the players and
make sure that the mood is right and you know,
manage the roster and deal with the front office and
all that stuff. And then come meeting time, we sit
(18:32):
down and we all lay it out on the table,
and of course it's my job to make the final decisions.
But I got a great staff. Trust them implicitly, but yeah,
if they're not really good at the ex'es and o's part,
I can't be really good at all the other things.
And these jobs right now are so big. They're way
more about leadership than they are about basketball.
Speaker 4 (18:51):
Is that something you learn.
Speaker 5 (18:52):
One of my first encounters with Greg Popovich, I was
coaching one of his young kind of draft picks for
the national team in Great Britain, Ryan Richards. Yeah, and
he could. He had come over and had to watch
a tournament in London. You might have actually been there.
France was there in Spain. It was twenty eleven, summer
(19:15):
before the Olympics, and I had a tiny little interaction
with him talking about Ryan and when we were talking
about the jobs, and he said that to me, he said,
the job is way more about leadership than it's about basketball.
And it always stuck with me and then just being
on you know, being in it. He's one hundred percent right.
Speaker 3 (19:32):
Wow, I'm glad you brought up the Olympics because just
what was that like? Obviously you were an American. Nick
Nurse was on your staff. You guys are Americans, but
you had been in England for so long to coach
Great Britain in the Olympics in London, lou All, Dang,
just what are your thoughts when you just think back
on that whole experience.
Speaker 5 (19:53):
Well, it's not too dissimilar to this weekend, this experience.
You know, I've never in my wildest dreams thought it
would have happen. You know, with our history, Nick and
I are, our history of the England is a huge
affinity for basketball there and obviously, you know, our most
formative years were there. We feel kind of almost like citizens,
you know, with such a special place in our heart
(20:16):
for the country and the people in the basketball game there.
But it was one again surreal experience after another. I mean,
met the Prime Minister, met the Queen. Really yeah, and
how is that? What was meeting the queen like that?
It was incredible and Nick and I it was so
the Olympics open on Friday night, the opening ceremonies Saturday morning,
we were like in our apartment and we got a
(20:39):
knock on the door and guy's sense like, hey, the
Queen's coming through to view her you know, basically dormitory
block where all the British athletes were living, and she
wants to meet half a dozen coaches and half a
dozen athletes, and most of the people were out like
they're out training they're out wherever, and so Nick and
I were able to do a little receiving line comes
(21:00):
down super gracious, you know, somebody with her, with her presence.
Speaker 2 (21:05):
I don't even know.
Speaker 5 (21:08):
You don't bow, no, you just kind of put your
hands behind your back and wait for her to talk
to you. And there's all these photocols. You know, I
tell the story a lot.
Speaker 2 (21:16):
So coaching Lebron is nothing.
Speaker 5 (21:17):
You've met the queen, yeah, exactly, yeah, yeah, but like
she makes you. She made you feel incredibly at ease,
which is quite you know, quite a quite a quite
the talent when you're you know, dealing with somebody like
the Queen. But the best part was Prince She said, oh,
and what do you do? I said, I coach basketball.
She said, all that makes sense, you're very tall. Yeah,
(21:38):
you know, all the usual things that some grandmother would
say too. Yeah, she did there with me. Well, Nick
Nurse was there and Prince Philip, her husband, was right behind,
and she said, on what do you Oh, you must
be the wrestling coach. At the time. The time, Nick
was carrying about twenty five extra pounds than he is
right now. So we always laugh about that. But in
(21:59):
my office, I have that picture of Nick and I
both with the with the Queen. So and then just
to get to the games and that you know, growing
up like the Olympics were like this. I mean, we
didn't miss them when we were growing up with just
they thought this is an incredible sporting event. And then
as you get into professional sports you become so cynical
(22:20):
about everything, right, and then when it all changed when
I was able to be in the Olympics, it's an
incredibly pure sporting event and we know it's not pure,
but as athletes in the village, it was an incredible,
incredible time. So and then to be able to step
out on the floor and what it meant to those
players to hear the you know, God save the Queen
(22:44):
before the games in the arenas you know, playing basketball,
which is not a marquee sport in England, but it
become a pretty big event, team event in the run
up to the Olympics.
Speaker 3 (22:55):
So especially because the Olympic field it's only twelve teams,
it's so much smaller than the World World Cup.
Speaker 5 (23:00):
So huge. Yeah. So it's just again I can't you know,
just lucky think about my career, things that.
Speaker 4 (23:07):
Have happened to me, coach, I want to get a
get a question from the audience real quick.
Speaker 5 (23:11):
And I see a young.
Speaker 4 (23:12):
Lady right here, been raising her hand all night. Young lady,
come come here police.
Speaker 2 (23:16):
What is your name, Charlotte?
Speaker 5 (23:18):
Charlotte?
Speaker 4 (23:19):
What's your last name? Kane's?
Speaker 2 (23:21):
This is my wife, coach.
Speaker 6 (23:25):
Yes, well, Coach, I definitely am intrigued with your story.
And I just feel like what you've gone through is
inspirational and.
Speaker 2 (23:36):
Required a lot of endurance.
Speaker 6 (23:37):
And I want to know how you really use your
your life lessons to you know, help your not only
the players, but your staff, because it is about leadership
and you've had doors open and doors closed, and you know,
with players there, you know they could be traded, they
could you know, get hurt, or staff they're not getting
opportunities that they think that they deserve or they would
(24:01):
be next in line. How do you use your life
lessons to like lead them and guide them?
Speaker 5 (24:07):
Great question? Thank you. A couple of things. First of all,
you know, I I consider myself kind of an NBA outsider,
just you know my I think what my path is
taught is a lot of humility. I loved everywhere I
was at I mean, I really did, and so you know,
(24:28):
it kind of bothers me if we go to a
hotel and people complain about these five star hotels that
we stay in. You know, I'm just like, you know,
kind of it's a reality check. Hey, come on, Like
if you were kind of berthed right into the NBA opportunity,
you get spoiled quickly. And I think like having to
kind of coach, you know, around the edges or take
a different path, keeps you, keeps you grounded a little
(24:50):
bit more. Sometimes I have to remind our staff of that.
You know, hey, let's reduce our footprint. Let's let's be
super grateful for the things that we're able to have here.
And then the other thing is it's like you just
got to put the work in and it take it
takes time. Like you know, everybody wants it so fast,
you know, whether it's players or coaches, everybody wants it
so fast. And that comes from a good place, it
(25:13):
really does. And and but sometimes you know, it just
doesn't come. And if it doesn't come where you're at,
this is what I've learned. It like you keep trying
and keep trying and keep trying, it's probably not going
to come. There, and then it's not until you leave
that environment you really realize maybe it was dysfunctional, maybe
it wasn't for me. And you always land like we live,
(25:33):
We work in a volatile environment and getting fired or
they were moving on is just part of it. But
I've always landed in a better place, but I couldn't
see it until I got there. And and when you
get there, you get the chance to kind of like
reinvent yourself or go back to what you do best.
And then a whole other people, whole nother you know,
(25:55):
group of people that can then appreciate working with you
and you with them. So those are some of the things.
I think. A person that bodies that on my team
is Nikhil Alexander Walker. I was with him as a
young player, just kept stubbing his toe, stubbing his toe,
wanted it so bad, wanted so bad, and just had
to go through these processes. And now he's like one
of our most important players, you know, and it's really
(26:16):
been incredible to like watch him kind of develop that way.
Speaker 3 (26:20):
I'm glad you brought it back to the Timberwolves because
our boss Scott Shapiro, who I want to thank for
helping us make this show happen. He is a Minnesota native,
massive Timberwolves fan, and he's going to be playing this
on Loop in his car driving work probably all week
till you guys play another game.
Speaker 4 (26:38):
So producer Tim as well.
Speaker 3 (26:40):
Our producer Tim, who's working on this show, another Minneapolis.
Speaker 5 (26:43):
Well, we appreciate the sport you. One thing that's been
great about our current success is we see a ton
of Timberwolves fans in visiting arenas right now, and that's
pretty cool.
Speaker 3 (27:00):
So you guys are thirty nine and sixteen atop the
West here at the break. If my math is right,
I think this is the thirty fifth season of Timberwolves basketball.
But this is a franchise that has not won a
playoff series for twenty years, and that run to the
West Finals and four it's the only two playoff series
that the franchise has ever won. So how much as
(27:21):
a staff, your team, how much do you guys feel
that weight of expectation because obviously in the regular season
you're building up to this playoff run.
Speaker 5 (27:29):
Now, really, really, I've never heard that before, Like most
things that you know have happened previously to us. Arriving
in Minnesota. We don't pay a ton of attention to it.
The history's there, but it doesn't really relate to us.
We're trying to forge our own path. We believe what
(27:50):
we're doing is real and repeatable. You know, we got
some guys that I know are super hungry. They don't
care about individual accolades right now. They're focused on one
thing that as pushing this team through the playoffs as
far as I can go.
Speaker 3 (28:03):
Maybe you can answer this one, because you guys were
in Dallas recently and I had a chance to visit
with Tim Conley and I said, you know, you took
so much, so much grief from all of us media.
Speaker 2 (28:13):
Know it all is last season. Don't you want to.
Speaker 3 (28:14):
Throw it back in our face? How well the trade
is working out now? And of course he was very
humble and he wouldn't do it. But how good is
he feeling right now after last season and all the
heat you guys took, and like you said, a year later,
with you time to get everybody acclimated, and we see
Rudy bouncing back with such a strong season.
Speaker 5 (28:33):
I mean, I think Tim feels extremely proud of this
team and its efforts. I think it's the vision he
always had. We always knew it took take time. We
thought last season it would take at least fifty games
to figure it out. We never really got that chance, right.
He's an incredible valuator of talent and how that talent
fits together. We have a continual dialogue about it all.
(28:55):
I really love working with him. He's never going to
be the type of guy who's going to throw it
in anyone's face, know, because he knows how quickly these
things can change. And that's the that's the league we
work in. You got to stay humble through your success.
You know. We all sat in that room and we
made this the Ruty deal, and we just we were
committed to making it work. And even last year we
(29:17):
didn't feel like it didn't work. We probably win twenty
five games, we don't have Rudy. We're not in the
playoffs last year if we don't have Rudy, and then
you know, being able to continually add to the roster,
you know, Mike, the emergence of Ni Kiel now Monte
Kyle Anderson as a signing. I mean, there's been a
lot of home runs that Tim Connley's hit, and it's
(29:39):
not just the Ruty deal. But it's really the totality
of it all.
Speaker 3 (29:42):
And size is back, right. I mean, you're not gonna
win in the NBA without size.
Speaker 2 (29:45):
In the West.
Speaker 3 (29:46):
You got to get through Denver and you can't do
that with outsize.
Speaker 5 (29:49):
Yeah, and you know they're not going to take their
best player off the floor to go small, you know.
And and I think also at the height of small ball,
and the best team to ever do it was Golden State,
and you're just not going to do it better than them.
So I think one of the things coming into it
all was like can we be different? And can that
be good enough?
Speaker 4 (30:09):
We had a none of somebody from audience one ask
the question.
Speaker 3 (30:11):
I go for it, We're good, go for it, and
then go for it and then we're gonna all right.
Speaker 5 (30:17):
Where are you from?
Speaker 7 (30:19):
I had done David Warshowski, Chris as a fellow f
and m Alum you had me by a couple of years.
One not so serious question. When we used to play
pickup ball, you used to make me look the fool
by busting me with threes from the outside.
Speaker 5 (30:35):
Why'd you have to do that then?
Speaker 7 (30:37):
But the more serious question is you took an untraditional
route and playing for a legendary coach like Coach Robinson,
and being from Franklin and Marshall. Were there positives for
you compared to coaches who don't come through that kind
of background that have made you the coach that you
are today.
Speaker 5 (30:55):
Yeah, you know, I appreciate that, and so we need
to see some footage.
Speaker 2 (31:00):
I need some footage of you playing.
Speaker 5 (31:01):
And three, you appreciate people from Franklin Marshall are known
as Fummers, so it's a fellow fumber here. I was
fortunate in my career to have great coaches at high
school and college level. In particular, Coach Robinson will be
in the Hall of Fame one day. I'm sure there's one,
just shy of a thousand game. It's the only job
(31:23):
he ever had. He held it for fifty years he went.
When I was there, we were ranked number one in
the nation for three out of the four years in
my entire career. We lost fourteen games in college, three
of them to Princeton and the other four in the tournament.
So we lost basically seven regular season games to Division
three opponents. What I learned from Coach was situational basketball.
(31:44):
It was outstanding at like, you know, how do you
manage through end of games? In fact, I should probably
bring them in and have them talked to our team
a little bit here, as we have blown a lot
of fourth quarter leeds late resily. But I also learned
that it's simple. We had three plays. That's it. We
had three plays. He never changed him. It was the
same four three plays for all four years, probably the
(32:06):
same three plays for thirty of his fifty years coaching there.
And it wasn't about the x's and o's. It was
just about how well you choose to do what you
choose to do. So, you know, when I look back
sometimes I have compared my career to my brother, which
who didn't have good coaching. You know, he didn't have
the same experience with and he was five years ahead
(32:28):
of me. And the only reason I'm in basketball is
because I followed him and he just didn't have the
enjoyment and the coaching that I was lucky to have.
So there's a ton of things I take from Coach
Robinson to this day, from the fluidity of the offense,
to the simplicity of things to managing the small pieces
(32:48):
of the game. You know, so.
Speaker 2 (32:51):
Well, look without your star power.
Speaker 3 (32:54):
We would not have been granted this stage, so to
do this on seriously, to do to come in here
and join us on the day you've got to coach
the All Star Game on the morning of the game,
we are really appreciative. Congratulations to you on a tremendous
first two thirds of the season and wishing you and
the Timberwolves great luck here in the playoffs to come. Everybody,
(33:16):
thanks so much for joining us, Thanks to Chris Finch,
coach of the Wolves, and please, as always remember keep
listening to This League Uncut. Please follow us, rate review,
subscribe to the podcast via Apple, Spotify, wherever you get
your podcasts, and a lot of fun for Chris and
(33:37):
I were not in the same room too often. So
great to have a live episode of This League Uncut
and so honored to have Chris Finch the Timberwolves here
with us.
Speaker 2 (33:46):
Thanks again for being with us.
Speaker 5 (33:47):
Everybody, Thank you, thank you, and that'll do it for us.
Speaker 1 (33:53):
See you next time. This League uncuta is and iHeartRadio production.
The suck a locket Chris Haines and Mark Stein
Speaker 5 (34:13):
M HM
Welcome to This League Uncut in the rule of twenty
four hour NBA News. This is you, Chris Haynes. It's time,
work's time, It's so time. This League Uncut is underway
in on fire. This should be a good one.
Speaker 2 (00:25):
Everybody.
Speaker 3 (00:26):
Welcome in to a live edition of the This League
Uncut Podcast.
Speaker 2 (00:33):
I'm Mark Stein on the end of course Turner Sports.
Chris Haynes.
Speaker 3 (00:38):
We host the This League Uncut Podcast twice.
Speaker 2 (00:42):
A week, but we don't get to do it like
this too often.
Speaker 3 (00:47):
Live at All Star Weekend here in Indianapolis on the
NBA Crossover Stage, and we have a guest of honor
in about seven eight hours. He'll be coaching the Western
Conference All Stars from the Minnesota Timberwolves.
Speaker 2 (01:02):
Coach Chris Finch. Good morning, sir.
Speaker 4 (01:05):
Good morning, Thanks for having me on Wells Standing Ovation
right there.
Speaker 3 (01:11):
Minnesota, thirty nine and sixteen, number one seed in the West.
You were an eighth seed last season. You're coaching the
Western Conference All Stars. I'm guessing this is just how
you drew it up back in October when you guys
were well in training camp and planning this season out.
Speaker 5 (01:29):
Well, not exactly. We thought we'd be a lot better
than last year. We figured we could really make a
push to have a home court playoff spot, and you know,
at the end of the day, hopefully that's where it
continues to shake out. But we had a really really
good start of the season. I think we've jumped out
seventeen and four, played pretty good basketball since then too,
to keep our nose in front. But the guys have
(01:52):
been been great. We've been locked in. Defense has been
the key. They really enjoy playing with each other. We've
got good depth, great flaxibility, you know, a lot. We
have been relatively healthy, you know last year we were not.
So all the things point in the right direction. And
then most importantly, you know, when you make the type
(02:12):
of deal we made last year to bring in Rudy,
like these things just take time. They just do. I mean,
it's just set it time and again, you know, Lebron
goes to Miami, takes them a year, you know, to
figure it out. There's a lot of things that you've
got to learn about each other, a lot of roles
have to adjust, and our guys have done that and
we've seen that kind of coming slowly. And then, like
(02:33):
anything else, kind of all comes together at one time.
Speaker 3 (02:36):
When and where in your career was the last time
you coached an All Star game.
Speaker 5 (02:41):
I G League coached the G League All Star team
my first year. I think they would have been two
thousand and ten. Maybe it was in Dallas, Remember they
had the snowstorm. By the way, the G League All
Star Game might be the best game here all weekend
because they all play, because they're all being scouted by
the front offices who were do stop by, and it
(03:02):
might be the most competitive game of the entire weekend.
Speaker 3 (03:06):
And we only had one day of snow here in Indianapolis,
but Dallas was NonStop snow and hard, hard for people
to get to.
Speaker 5 (03:13):
Yeah, I kind of messed up the whole weekend after
the well I coached in the game, but I don't
think I left the hotel bar the rest of the weekend.
Speaker 4 (03:20):
So now we're having a good time here in Indianapolis.
This is not quite the worst All Star weekend for me.
Was Toronto two thousand. What year was that star sixteen?
Twenty sixteen? What did the temperature get?
Speaker 2 (03:35):
I don't know what the number was, but it was
way colder than that.
Speaker 4 (03:37):
Yeah, we didn't step outside, not once. Fitch I have
to hit you with the hard hitting question right now.
Speaker 5 (03:43):
I just say I was at that All Star Game too,
worked on behalf the NBA with basketball down borders, and
I can remember the lake freezing. You could see the
lake freezing like in one hundred yard segments almost in
front of our eyes.
Speaker 4 (03:55):
Usually All Star weekend myself, I like to hit up
all the shoe events, all the parties and what else.
You know, just all the brunches that's going on. Didn't
hit not one of them up that that weekend. It
was that serious offense. You're not getting it out of
this question, hard hitting question right here. With Lebron James
not showing up the practice yesterday, are you bringing him
(04:16):
off the bench tonight?
Speaker 5 (04:18):
Heck? Now, I'm trying to keep my job, So I was.
I was.
Speaker 4 (04:25):
We were talking a little bit before before we start recording.
Like I would think for most coaches, like once you
get that NBA head coaching job that you know on
the bucket list is to you know, coach an All
Star Game at one point because that major team is
having success and has the best record leading up to
the All Star break. But I would imagine like after
(04:45):
you get one, as you've seen with the commitments you
probably have after you get one, you probably want, you know,
your all star break to yourself after that, Like, what's
what's been the experience like for you?
Speaker 5 (04:55):
It's been a great experience. I mean it's a lot
of really kind of cool individual experiences come up and
just being able to bring you know, friends, family, you know,
close ones into the event and they all get a
special experience too. It's and then there's a lot of
waiting in between, you know, the next, the next things
that happen. But it it I've enjoyed the downtime. You know,
(05:19):
I took a nap yesterday. I never do that, sleep
in for a while today. I never do that. The
mental break is from the grind of the season is
just as important as the physical. You know, a lot
of people would like to get get away, go to
the beach, wherever they go. You know, I think we
get in trouble and these if we take these things
for granted, you know, and I think we get in
trouble if we you know, if we don't really try
(05:42):
to enjoy them. So yeah, next year we're assured that
we can't be here regardless. But you know, as long
as the great thing about being here is it means
your team's playing really, really well, and that's the most important.
Speaker 3 (05:54):
You made a bit of a Twitter splash yesterday with
your reaction to Anthony Edwards leftfty three's. In practice, they
did not go well in the skills competition. What are
the chances that you're gonna let him hoist a lefty
three tonight in this game?
Speaker 2 (06:09):
Can you stop him if.
Speaker 4 (06:10):
He said he's shooting lefty all game.
Speaker 5 (06:14):
Yeah, We're gonna have a conversation about that, I think,
in the spirit of heightening the competition around the game,
which I know the league is really pushing everyone to do.
We we need to get him to shoot right handed.
But he has a he's a left handed player. He
likes to attack left handed, he likes to finish left handed.
He might be and you know, even unbeknownst to him
(06:34):
left handed, he shoots a pretty well left handed. And
he's been pushing me to want to shoot one in
a game, a real game. Yeah, And so I said, okay,
if you make if you make three out of five,
you know you can do that. And he made four
out of five. So, but do you know, Anthony's has
got got an incredible amount of confidence. Thinks he can
do whatever he puts his mind to, and most of
(06:56):
the times he can't.
Speaker 4 (06:57):
Well, when you think about Anthony Edward, we were talking
about him potential super left handed jump shots. Let's talk
about the competition level of the All Star Game, Like,
do you feel as an obligation to get the guys
to play harder? What has been the message for you
with the team going into this game.
Speaker 5 (07:15):
Yeah, I do feel an obligation that we put on
the most the most competitive show we can. I know
the league is really pushing the players, and uh, you know,
we had a meeting with the league a week or
so ago where they went through some of the points
of emphasis of the weekend, and that was certainly one
is they kind of bringing the competition back. I think
(07:35):
one of the reasons they went back to East West
is to hopefully it would infuse some natural rivalry between
the game, within the game, between the players. But at
the end of the day, it's going to come down
to the players willingness to do it. Traditionally, and when
we were growing up, you know, these games would kind
of grow into a competitive, uh you know, competition. The
(07:56):
fourth quarters would probably be you know, more like a
regular NBA game. So yeah, I think there's a little
bit of anxiety about how this is going to go tonight.
I think if people will be honest with themselves, but
I'm hopeful that the guys, you know, bring it and compete.
Speaker 3 (08:12):
What realistically, as a coach, can you say to these
guys in terms of defense, what kind of defensive messaging
will there be pregame or during a timeout?
Speaker 2 (08:23):
What do you think you can really I.
Speaker 5 (08:25):
Mean, I mean, you just you're gonna you can tell
them to try to play some defense.
Speaker 4 (08:30):
You know.
Speaker 5 (08:30):
It's I mean, it's we're not going to be scheme based.
You know, we're not going to be out there with
any kind of great philosophy. Just comes down to their
level of individual competitiveness. You know, you don't want it
to get to the point where it's too cool to
play defense, you know, where everything's too cool you don't
want to try. People would feel like it's you know,
it's not cool to try hard, and I don't think
(08:53):
that looks good or feels good for anybody. I'm sure
in the beginning there'll be a lot of like feeling
it out, and then somebody's gonna have to set the tone,
you know, So the player are gonna have to go
out set the tone offensively and defensively, and that'll wake
up the rest of the troops.
Speaker 3 (09:09):
I'm sure defense has been such a big part of
your success with the Wolves this season. I'm sure you're
thrilled to have two of your own players on the
Western Conference All Stars, but Rudy Gobert is not here.
Speaker 2 (09:22):
I thought Rudy Gobert should have been an All Star.
Speaker 3 (09:25):
How hard do you think he's taking it that he
did not get selected, because you guys have the number
one d in the league, top ranked defense, and he's
obviously a huge part.
Speaker 5 (09:34):
Yeah, we thought he was deserving him an All Star nomination.
For sure. He was disappointed. We were disappointed for him,
but in true Rudy style, you know, he's used it
as great motivation and he's played some of his best
basketball ever in the last several weeks since being snubbed,
so to speak. So for us, you know, we're kind
(09:56):
of happy that he's on a beach somewhere, just.
Speaker 2 (09:58):
Relaxing and seething somewhere, seething and.
Speaker 5 (10:01):
Relaxing, fueling up for what's going to be a heck
of a stretch run. I know he's got his his
you know, his site set on bigger and better things
for him and us, and that's what's most important.
Speaker 4 (10:14):
Coach I've heard in other years prior. I don't know
if it's happened to you, but I'll ask, But there
have been times where other coaches where they have their
players participate in the All Star Games, they'll actually contact
the coach that's coaching that game and tell them, hey,
don't play my guy to like leave Malone. Has any
coaches contacted you about playing time?
Speaker 5 (10:36):
That has not happened, you know, but the players have
been pretty you know, pretty open and about what they
want to do. You know, we kind of checked in
where you know, how you're feeling, you know, what's your
body like, where you're at, you know, And so they've
given us a gauge where they think that they'd like
to play. Who wants to play the most? Oh, no,
I guess this is these are private conversations. You'll know
(10:56):
in a few hours. Yeah, you'll know in a few hours.
Speaker 4 (11:00):
If he played Lebron like forty minutes today. How with
Darth Ham.
Speaker 5 (11:04):
I think I think Lebron's going to tell me, but
how much you wanted to play? Yeah, probably right there.
Speaker 3 (11:19):
I'd like to go back many, many years because I
was fortunate to meet you. I think it's almost twenty
five years ago now. You were coaching the Sheffield Sharks
in England. After playing for the Sheffield Sharks, Nick Nurse
was coaching the Manchester Giants. I love to tell people
(11:39):
that I discovered the both of you, but.
Speaker 2 (11:40):
That's really kind of an exaggeration.
Speaker 3 (11:42):
Our mutual friend Ian Whittle a journalist in England at
the time. He was really the only journalist in England,
or pretty much the only journalist who was covering basketball,
and he introduced me to both you guys now and
I didn't ask too many questions because I was just
getting to meet the both of you. But had I
really put the full court press on you back in
nineteen ninety nine, what would you have said was your
(12:05):
vision for your career? What were you hoping to accomplish
at that point?
Speaker 5 (12:09):
Well, I think you know my I just thought I'd
come back and be coaching in college, probably in small colleges.
You know, that's always been my background. We grew up
in a small college environment. I didn't have a big network,
certainly in Division one. I didn't have any real network
into the NBA at that point in time. I mean,
I was just focused. I was so young then, probably
(12:33):
around you know, around about thirty the beginning of my career,
just trying to you know, win the British Basketball League
every every single season and then go from there. And
that's really it. I did have a few kind of
things happened in my career, like things that didn't happen. Actually,
I had a high school job back in Reading, Pennsylvania.
(12:55):
Is that I didn't get I was offered the job
and then the kind of get away from me for
political reasons at the last moment before I was even
allowed to start. It's a long story, but it's not important.
And then I had another really tiny job offer finalists
for a job a small school in upstate New York,
(13:15):
and I would have had to take a massive pay
cut to do it, but I just an effort to
get home. I just wanted to get home. And neither
of those things happened for me, And had they happened,
I wouldn't be sitting here, you know, I would be
either high school coach teaching in Pennsylvania or I'd be,
you know, on some small college career path right now
or whatever. But when those things didn't turn out for me,
(13:36):
I thought, what am I doing? Like, I'm I'm I'm
on a good path here in Europe. I need to
like maximize this opportunity, and I switched gears. I was like, Okay,
I want to get to I want to get out
to the bigger and better leagues. And when I went
to Germany, I want to eventually get to Spain. I
want to get to these top level countries. So that's
why I set my sights on and when I did that,
everything changed for me. Went to Germany but got fine.
(14:00):
That had to rebuild my career in Belgium, and that
was actually kind of the blessing in disguise because the
team there had a lot of money. We were able
to play in the European leagues. We did well in
European leagues, and then it started to snowball from there.
Speaker 2 (14:14):
And what do you think got you on the NBA radar?
Speaker 5 (14:17):
Well, I know sam Hinkey got me on the NBA radar.
They were when they launched their their D League in
the initiative of Rio Grand they were taking over basketball operations,
basically implementing the baseball model, and they just wanted somebody
that had a totally different profile from what they were
(14:38):
looking for. And unbeknownst to me at the time, they
wanted somebody who played fast, inefficient basketball, which we were
doing in Europe, not because we were more smart or
ahead of the curve, just because these were the types
of players I could afford, you know, guys who could
shoot threes, undersized centers that we played fast. You know,
I couldn't afford to compete in the European leagues against
these big centers and his more rugged teams because we
(15:00):
didn't have that type of money. So we built these
fast teams that shoot shot a lot of threes. And
they started looking for somebody, and my name kept coming up.
And Sam Hinkey has a philosophy that he here's something
from more than one person, he investigates it and whether
it be a book, a movie, some sort of Ted talk,
(15:20):
whatever it might be. You know, he's like, Okay, what's
going on here? So he reached out to me after
summer league. I was guest coach. Donnie Nelson was kind
enough with one of a few contacts because he's so
prevalent in Europe, and his scouting had invited me to
be a guest coach with the Dallas Mavericks and at
Summer League that year, Sam reached out and explained what
(15:41):
they were looking for and asked if I would be interested,
and I said sure. So that's that's kind of how
it all happened. And so Sam, Darryl mory Gerson rosis
you know those that triumpherent was really kind of the
crew that brought me to the league.
Speaker 3 (15:57):
And now almost twenty years later, you're coaching the West
All Stars and you're a tipsy and defense first coach.
Speaker 2 (16:03):
What happened to?
Speaker 5 (16:04):
What happened? I've always liked defense, just you know, somehow
along the way, I got tabbed to being an offensive guy.
That's what they wanted me to do in Houston. When
I went there, they said, Okay, we're gonna go to
the G League. We're gonna tinker around with this stuff,
and we're gonna see what we can do and how
far we can push the envelope offensively down there. And
it was one of the things that kind of like
(16:26):
gave me pause before I took the job, because I
thought it was like, it's still gonna be a circus act.
You know, it's what kind of I want to play
basketball coach, and I don't want to just do crazy things?
So now are in yeah, crazy things? I mean, look out,
the game's revolutionized, and you know everybody kind of plays
that way. But when we first made it to the league,
probably only eight ten teams were playing with pace, you know,
(16:50):
valuing shot selection. And then you know, once Golden State
kind of hit their stride, everything just exploded from there.
Speaker 4 (16:57):
So You've been around a bunch of head coaches and
I'm curious your perspective on this. You know, you have
coaches that are great at x's and o's, You've got
coaches that are great at communicating. You've got great coaches
that aren't great at communicating. But when you're coaching the
NBA level, what is the balance that you think that
you have to have in order to be successful in
(17:20):
like commanding the respect of the locker room, not losing guys,
and being efficient? Like, what are what are the features
you need to have?
Speaker 5 (17:28):
I would say for me, it's seventy thirty. You have
the seventy thirty seventy in the man management, you know,
just the relationship with the players, controlling the environment, managing
the staff, holding everybody accountable. You know, the x'es and
o's part is probably thirty percent for me. Staffs are
so big now that we can have so many guys
(17:49):
specialized in all the x's and o's. You know, we
have offensive defensive guys, we have special teams guys, we
have player development guys. I have a staff broken down
into transition coach, a pick and roll coach, almost like
football model, right, And I like that because it gives
those guys like overview, accountability, ownership over something, empowers them
(18:11):
in that space. Then it's easy for me to hold
them accountable. Hey, you're supposed to be in charge of this,
we're not good enough at that. And then I just
can kind of like check in with the players and
make sure that the mood is right and you know,
manage the roster and deal with the front office and
all that stuff. And then come meeting time, we sit
(18:32):
down and we all lay it out on the table,
and of course it's my job to make the final decisions.
But I got a great staff. Trust them implicitly, but yeah,
if they're not really good at the ex'es and o's part,
I can't be really good at all the other things.
And these jobs right now are so big. They're way
more about leadership than they are about basketball.
Speaker 4 (18:51):
Is that something you learn.
Speaker 5 (18:52):
One of my first encounters with Greg Popovich, I was
coaching one of his young kind of draft picks for
the national team in Great Britain, Ryan Richards. Yeah, and
he could. He had come over and had to watch
a tournament in London. You might have actually been there.
France was there in Spain. It was twenty eleven, summer
(19:15):
before the Olympics, and I had a tiny little interaction
with him talking about Ryan and when we were talking
about the jobs, and he said that to me, he said,
the job is way more about leadership than it's about basketball.
And it always stuck with me and then just being
on you know, being in it. He's one hundred percent right.
Speaker 3 (19:32):
Wow, I'm glad you brought up the Olympics because just
what was that like? Obviously you were an American. Nick
Nurse was on your staff. You guys are Americans, but
you had been in England for so long to coach
Great Britain in the Olympics in London, lou All, Dang,
just what are your thoughts when you just think back
on that whole experience.
Speaker 5 (19:53):
Well, it's not too dissimilar to this weekend, this experience.
You know, I've never in my wildest dreams thought it
would have happen. You know, with our history, Nick and
I are, our history of the England is a huge
affinity for basketball there and obviously, you know, our most
formative years were there. We feel kind of almost like citizens,
you know, with such a special place in our heart
(20:16):
for the country and the people in the basketball game there.
But it was one again surreal experience after another. I mean,
met the Prime Minister, met the Queen. Really yeah, and
how is that? What was meeting the queen like that?
It was incredible and Nick and I it was so
the Olympics open on Friday night, the opening ceremonies Saturday morning,
we were like in our apartment and we got a
(20:39):
knock on the door and guy's sense like, hey, the
Queen's coming through to view her you know, basically dormitory
block where all the British athletes were living, and she
wants to meet half a dozen coaches and half a
dozen athletes, and most of the people were out like
they're out training they're out wherever, and so Nick and
I were able to do a little receiving line comes
(21:00):
down super gracious, you know, somebody with her, with her presence.
Speaker 2 (21:05):
I don't even know.
Speaker 5 (21:08):
You don't bow, no, you just kind of put your
hands behind your back and wait for her to talk
to you. And there's all these photocols. You know, I
tell the story a lot.
Speaker 2 (21:16):
So coaching Lebron is nothing.
Speaker 5 (21:17):
You've met the queen, yeah, exactly, yeah, yeah, but like
she makes you. She made you feel incredibly at ease,
which is quite you know, quite a quite a quite
the talent when you're you know, dealing with somebody like
the Queen. But the best part was Prince She said, oh,
and what do you do? I said, I coach basketball.
She said, all that makes sense, you're very tall. Yeah,
(21:38):
you know, all the usual things that some grandmother would
say too. Yeah, she did there with me. Well, Nick
Nurse was there and Prince Philip, her husband, was right behind,
and she said, on what do you Oh, you must
be the wrestling coach. At the time. The time, Nick
was carrying about twenty five extra pounds than he is
right now. So we always laugh about that. But in
(21:59):
my office, I have that picture of Nick and I
both with the with the Queen. So and then just
to get to the games and that you know, growing
up like the Olympics were like this. I mean, we
didn't miss them when we were growing up with just
they thought this is an incredible sporting event. And then
as you get into professional sports you become so cynical
(22:20):
about everything, right, and then when it all changed when
I was able to be in the Olympics, it's an
incredibly pure sporting event and we know it's not pure,
but as athletes in the village, it was an incredible,
incredible time. So and then to be able to step
out on the floor and what it meant to those
players to hear the you know, God save the Queen
(22:44):
before the games in the arenas you know, playing basketball,
which is not a marquee sport in England, but it
become a pretty big event, team event in the run
up to the Olympics.
Speaker 3 (22:55):
So especially because the Olympic field it's only twelve teams,
it's so much smaller than the World World Cup.
Speaker 5 (23:00):
So huge. Yeah. So it's just again I can't you know,
just lucky think about my career, things that.
Speaker 4 (23:07):
Have happened to me, coach, I want to get a
get a question from the audience real quick.
Speaker 5 (23:11):
And I see a young.
Speaker 4 (23:12):
Lady right here, been raising her hand all night. Young lady,
come come here police.
Speaker 2 (23:16):
What is your name, Charlotte?
Speaker 5 (23:18):
Charlotte?
Speaker 4 (23:19):
What's your last name? Kane's?
Speaker 2 (23:21):
This is my wife, coach.
Speaker 6 (23:25):
Yes, well, Coach, I definitely am intrigued with your story.
And I just feel like what you've gone through is
inspirational and.
Speaker 2 (23:36):
Required a lot of endurance.
Speaker 6 (23:37):
And I want to know how you really use your
your life lessons to you know, help your not only
the players, but your staff, because it is about leadership
and you've had doors open and doors closed, and you know,
with players there, you know they could be traded, they
could you know, get hurt, or staff they're not getting
opportunities that they think that they deserve or they would
(24:01):
be next in line. How do you use your life
lessons to like lead them and guide them?
Speaker 5 (24:07):
Great question? Thank you. A couple of things. First of all,
you know, I I consider myself kind of an NBA outsider,
just you know my I think what my path is
taught is a lot of humility. I loved everywhere I
was at I mean, I really did, and so you know,
(24:28):
it kind of bothers me if we go to a
hotel and people complain about these five star hotels that
we stay in. You know, I'm just like, you know,
kind of it's a reality check. Hey, come on, Like
if you were kind of berthed right into the NBA opportunity,
you get spoiled quickly. And I think like having to
kind of coach, you know, around the edges or take
a different path, keeps you, keeps you grounded a little
(24:50):
bit more. Sometimes I have to remind our staff of that.
You know, hey, let's reduce our footprint. Let's let's be
super grateful for the things that we're able to have here.
And then the other thing is it's like you just
got to put the work in and it take it
takes time. Like you know, everybody wants it so fast,
you know, whether it's players or coaches, everybody wants it
so fast. And that comes from a good place, it
(25:13):
really does. And and but sometimes you know, it just
doesn't come. And if it doesn't come where you're at,
this is what I've learned. It like you keep trying
and keep trying and keep trying, it's probably not going
to come. There, and then it's not until you leave
that environment you really realize maybe it was dysfunctional, maybe
it wasn't for me. And you always land like we live,
(25:33):
We work in a volatile environment and getting fired or
they were moving on is just part of it. But
I've always landed in a better place, but I couldn't
see it until I got there. And and when you
get there, you get the chance to kind of like
reinvent yourself or go back to what you do best.
And then a whole other people, whole nother you know,
(25:55):
group of people that can then appreciate working with you
and you with them. So those are some of the things.
I think. A person that bodies that on my team
is Nikhil Alexander Walker. I was with him as a
young player, just kept stubbing his toe, stubbing his toe,
wanted it so bad, wanted so bad, and just had
to go through these processes. And now he's like one
of our most important players, you know, and it's really
(26:16):
been incredible to like watch him kind of develop that way.
Speaker 3 (26:20):
I'm glad you brought it back to the Timberwolves because
our boss Scott Shapiro, who I want to thank for
helping us make this show happen. He is a Minnesota native,
massive Timberwolves fan, and he's going to be playing this
on Loop in his car driving work probably all week
till you guys play another game.
Speaker 4 (26:38):
So producer Tim as well.
Speaker 3 (26:40):
Our producer Tim, who's working on this show, another Minneapolis.
Speaker 5 (26:43):
Well, we appreciate the sport you. One thing that's been
great about our current success is we see a ton
of Timberwolves fans in visiting arenas right now, and that's
pretty cool.
Speaker 3 (27:00):
So you guys are thirty nine and sixteen atop the
West here at the break. If my math is right,
I think this is the thirty fifth season of Timberwolves basketball.
But this is a franchise that has not won a
playoff series for twenty years, and that run to the
West Finals and four it's the only two playoff series
that the franchise has ever won. So how much as
(27:21):
a staff, your team, how much do you guys feel
that weight of expectation because obviously in the regular season
you're building up to this playoff run.
Speaker 5 (27:29):
Now, really, really, I've never heard that before, Like most
things that you know have happened previously to us. Arriving
in Minnesota. We don't pay a ton of attention to it.
The history's there, but it doesn't really relate to us.
We're trying to forge our own path. We believe what
(27:50):
we're doing is real and repeatable. You know, we got
some guys that I know are super hungry. They don't
care about individual accolades right now. They're focused on one
thing that as pushing this team through the playoffs as
far as I can go.
Speaker 3 (28:03):
Maybe you can answer this one, because you guys were
in Dallas recently and I had a chance to visit
with Tim Conley and I said, you know, you took
so much, so much grief from all of us media.
Speaker 2 (28:13):
Know it all is last season. Don't you want to.
Speaker 3 (28:14):
Throw it back in our face? How well the trade
is working out now? And of course he was very
humble and he wouldn't do it. But how good is
he feeling right now after last season and all the
heat you guys took, and like you said, a year later,
with you time to get everybody acclimated, and we see
Rudy bouncing back with such a strong season.
Speaker 5 (28:33):
I mean, I think Tim feels extremely proud of this
team and its efforts. I think it's the vision he
always had. We always knew it took take time. We
thought last season it would take at least fifty games
to figure it out. We never really got that chance, right.
He's an incredible valuator of talent and how that talent
fits together. We have a continual dialogue about it all.
(28:55):
I really love working with him. He's never going to
be the type of guy who's going to throw it
in anyone's face, know, because he knows how quickly these
things can change. And that's the that's the league we
work in. You got to stay humble through your success.
You know. We all sat in that room and we
made this the Ruty deal, and we just we were
committed to making it work. And even last year we
(29:17):
didn't feel like it didn't work. We probably win twenty
five games, we don't have Rudy. We're not in the
playoffs last year if we don't have Rudy, and then
you know, being able to continually add to the roster,
you know, Mike, the emergence of Ni Kiel now Monte
Kyle Anderson as a signing. I mean, there's been a
lot of home runs that Tim Connley's hit, and it's
(29:39):
not just the Ruty deal. But it's really the totality
of it all.
Speaker 3 (29:42):
And size is back, right. I mean, you're not gonna
win in the NBA without size.
Speaker 2 (29:45):
In the West.
Speaker 3 (29:46):
You got to get through Denver and you can't do
that with outsize.
Speaker 5 (29:49):
Yeah, and you know they're not going to take their
best player off the floor to go small, you know.
And and I think also at the height of small ball,
and the best team to ever do it was Golden State,
and you're just not going to do it better than them.
So I think one of the things coming into it
all was like can we be different? And can that
be good enough?
Speaker 4 (30:09):
We had a none of somebody from audience one ask
the question.
Speaker 3 (30:11):
I go for it, We're good, go for it, and
then go for it and then we're gonna all right.
Speaker 5 (30:17):
Where are you from?
Speaker 7 (30:19):
I had done David Warshowski, Chris as a fellow f
and m Alum you had me by a couple of years.
One not so serious question. When we used to play
pickup ball, you used to make me look the fool
by busting me with threes from the outside.
Speaker 5 (30:35):
Why'd you have to do that then?
Speaker 7 (30:37):
But the more serious question is you took an untraditional
route and playing for a legendary coach like Coach Robinson,
and being from Franklin and Marshall. Were there positives for
you compared to coaches who don't come through that kind
of background that have made you the coach that you
are today.
Speaker 5 (30:55):
Yeah, you know, I appreciate that, and so we need
to see some footage.
Speaker 2 (31:00):
I need some footage of you playing.
Speaker 5 (31:01):
And three, you appreciate people from Franklin Marshall are known
as Fummers, so it's a fellow fumber here. I was
fortunate in my career to have great coaches at high
school and college level. In particular, Coach Robinson will be
in the Hall of Fame one day. I'm sure there's one,
just shy of a thousand game. It's the only job
(31:23):
he ever had. He held it for fifty years he went.
When I was there, we were ranked number one in
the nation for three out of the four years in
my entire career. We lost fourteen games in college, three
of them to Princeton and the other four in the tournament.
So we lost basically seven regular season games to Division
three opponents. What I learned from Coach was situational basketball.
(31:44):
It was outstanding at like, you know, how do you
manage through end of games? In fact, I should probably
bring them in and have them talked to our team
a little bit here, as we have blown a lot
of fourth quarter leeds late resily. But I also learned
that it's simple. We had three plays. That's it. We
had three plays. He never changed him. It was the
same four three plays for all four years, probably the
(32:06):
same three plays for thirty of his fifty years coaching there.
And it wasn't about the x's and o's. It was
just about how well you choose to do what you
choose to do. So, you know, when I look back
sometimes I have compared my career to my brother, which
who didn't have good coaching. You know, he didn't have
the same experience with and he was five years ahead
(32:28):
of me. And the only reason I'm in basketball is
because I followed him and he just didn't have the
enjoyment and the coaching that I was lucky to have.
So there's a ton of things I take from Coach
Robinson to this day, from the fluidity of the offense,
to the simplicity of things to managing the small pieces
(32:48):
of the game. You know, so.
Speaker 2 (32:51):
Well, look without your star power.
Speaker 3 (32:54):
We would not have been granted this stage, so to
do this on seriously, to do to come in here
and join us on the day you've got to coach
the All Star Game on the morning of the game,
we are really appreciative. Congratulations to you on a tremendous
first two thirds of the season and wishing you and
the Timberwolves great luck here in the playoffs to come. Everybody,
(33:16):
thanks so much for joining us, Thanks to Chris Finch,
coach of the Wolves, and please, as always remember keep
listening to This League Uncut. Please follow us, rate review,
subscribe to the podcast via Apple, Spotify, wherever you get
your podcasts, and a lot of fun for Chris and
(33:37):
I were not in the same room too often. So
great to have a live episode of This League Uncut
and so honored to have Chris Finch the Timberwolves here
with us.
Speaker 2 (33:46):
Thanks again for being with us.
Speaker 5 (33:47):
Everybody, Thank you, thank you, and that'll do it for us.
Speaker 1 (33:53):
See you next time. This League uncuta is and iHeartRadio production.
The suck a locket Chris Haines and Mark Stein
Speaker 5 (34:13):
M HM
Hosts And Creators
Colin Cowherd
Jason McIntyre
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