Timberwolves veteran forward Thaddeus Young visited Washington and its sights many times during the first seven NBA seasons he played just up the freeway in Philadelphia, but he never saw it quite like he did on Wednesday.
Young and his teammates toured the Pentagon and Arlington National Cemetery, spending 30 minutes with Joint Chiefs of Staff Chairman General Martin Dempsey at their first stop and visiting with the wife of a U.S. soldier slain in Afghanistan at the second.
Afterward, he called it a sobering, unifying moment for his young team.
"It was definitely one of those eye-opening, life-changing experiences for us," he said.
The NBA and USA Basketball have collaborated with the United States' Department of Defense on a "Commitment to Service" project that involves all five branches of the military and is intended to improve communities across the country. As part of that program, the NBA arranged for the Wolves' tour Wednesday.
During it, they spent time in his office with the highest-ranking military officer in the U.S. Armed Forces and the man who is the main military adviser to President Obama. He spoke to Wolves players, coaches and staff about commitment, teamwork and community and discussed some of the history and the importance of paying respect to the U.S. flag and national anthem.
He told them of a team photo from last summer's FIBA World Championship that he received from the U.S. national men's basketball team's Mike Krzyzewski. The Duke and former Army coach inscribed "Our team couldn't have done what we did without your team" on a poster that showed every player holding his hand over his heart — a gesture perhaps inspired from the team's visit to West Point a month earlier.
Dempsey told them the post means more to him than almost any other memento he has from his job.
"He just gave his thoughts about the national anthem and the flag and showing for respect for where we are and where we earn our living, whether you're from here or not," Wolves coach Flip Saunders, referring to a team that includes five international players. "It was a pretty powerful afternoon."
Their Pentagon visit include a tour of the five-sided office building that includes seven levels and 6.5 million square feet of space and is home to more than 26,000 workers every day. They learned about the 9/11 attack in which terrorists flew a jetliner into the building in 2001.
"We walked for like two hours and they told us we didn't even walk half of it," forward Shabazz Muhammad said. "It's a big place."
Players sat at Dempsey's desk —once used by five-star General Douglas MacArthur — filled with phones. One phone line went directly to the President. Another was top, top secret. A third was merely top secret. Another he used to call his wife and others.
"A lot of phones, different time zones, different pictures," Muhammad said. "It felt like a field trip, like we were back in school kind of."
Veteran Mo Williams after the visit vowed to resume placing his hand over his heart during the national anthem's playing.
"Our whole team did it in Utah but I never knew the significance of it," he said. "I just put my hand across the heart. It's something I've gotten away from. You take a lot of stuff for granted, but to hear the stories and sacrifices made by the men and women who serve and protect us, it makes you appreciate life more. It's a great opportunity for our young guys to learn it at 19. It's something that can help them grow."
NBA short takes: Here's your lineup
Sometimes it seems like the NBA doesn't really begin until its traditional Christmas Day extravaganza, which this year is another five-game marathon from morning until late at night.
Washington at New York, 11 a.m., ESPN
Yes, a Randy Wittman-coached Wizards team is playing on Christmas Day and the main attraction against a lousy Knicks team that is making its NBA-record 50th Christmas Day appearance. The Knicks' first time was way back in 1947 against the Providence Steamrollers. And don't forget Bernard King's 60-point game against his former New Jersey Nets in 1984.
Oklahoma City at San Antonio, 1:30 p.m., Ch. 5
Feliz Navidad, Joyeux Noel and Buon Natale to each and every one of you. The NBA's international presence continues to grow: 33 international players are on rosters of the 10 teams playing, including nine with the Spurs alone. Cleveland, Golden State and New York each have four and Oklahoma City has two.
Cleveland at Miami, 4 p.m., Ch. 5
You knew this marquee matchup was coming on that July day last summer when LeBron James announced by essay he was going home to Ohio. His return to Miami is the first time the two teams play since his decision (note the lower case).
L.A. Lakers at Chicago, 7 p.m., TNT
It's not exactly LeBron vs. Miami, but this one includes a reunion as well: Bulls forward Pau Gasol meets for the first time since his free-agent signing last summer a Lakers team with which he won two titles in nearly seven seasons in Los Angeles.
Golden State at L.A. Clippers, 9:30 p.m., TNT
Just when you're ready to nod off after too much turkey and egg nog … the NBA delivers a nightcap featuring clearly the league's best team so far — the streaking Warriors — in a possible Western Conference playoff preview somewhere down the line against L.A.
Wolves' Week Ahead
Tuesday: 6 p.m. at Cleveland, FSN
Friday: 8 p.m. at Denver, FSN
Saturday: 9:30 p.m. at Golden State, FSN
Player to watch: Kevin Love, Cavaliers
He's wearing wine and gold and the No. 0 now for the first meeting — and a festive holiday date at that — with his former team since the Wolves traded their three-time All Star to Cleveland last summer. His scoring average is down eight points a game since then, but his winning percentage is up to 73.6 percent and includes a recent eight-game winning streak.
Voices
« We're 17-6, I'll grant you that. »
Washington coach Randy Wittman last week when informed that former boss Flip Saunders told his players the Wizards' fast season start is proof Saunders' system works (Wittman was a longtime assistant to Saunders in Minnesota and Washington).
