Jefferson doesn't fret much over 'minor' knee injury

Wolves star Al Jefferson did not seem overly concerned over the knee injury he recently suffered.

By JERRY ZGODA, Star Tribune

Last update: September 30, 2008 - 12:17 AM

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Timberwolves star Al Jefferson reported Monday for the team's season-opening media day and declared his knee, injured in a Target Center workout two weeks ago, "wonderful" and said he expected to join his teammates for noncontact drills when training camp opens today in Mankato.

"The knee is coming real fast," Jefferson said Monday. "I'll do some running tomorrow. In the next week or two, I'll be back."

Jefferson collapsed in pain after Blake Ahearn, the former NBA Developmental League guard whom the Wolves signed off their summer league team, fell into Jefferson's leg during a workout. A medical imaging test later diagnosed the injury as a sprained medial collateral ligament in his right knee.

"The biggest injury in my life was an ankle injury," Jefferson said. "When I heard my knee pop, I said, 'Oh, Lord.' I thought it was over. Knock on wood, it was just a little, minor setback."

Jefferson said it is unlikely he will be cleared for contact practice before the Wolves break camp in Mankato on Saturday night.

"I'd much rather have him 100 percent healthy November 1st rather than October 1st," Wolves Vice President of Basketball Operations Kevin McHale said.

Livingston out, Ollie in

McHale said unrestricted free agent Shaun Livingston has chosen to sign with Miami instead of the Wolves, although that deal had not been confirmed or announced as of Monday night. Livingston, the fourth pick in the 2004 draft, suffered a severe knee injury in February 2007 and did not play last season.

The Wolves instead will bring 11-year NBA veteran Kevin Ollie to camp. Ollie, who has played for 10 NBA teams, is more of a point guard than the combo guard the Wolves seek to add behind Randy Foye and Sebastian Telfair.

Wolves General Manager Jim Stack said the team will continue to look for a guard who can play as many as three positions if they can find a suitable one.

Meanwhile, second-year forward Chris Richard signed the team's one-year qualifying offer Monday and joined his teammates for media day.

Golf, a contact sport?

New Wolves player Jason Collins -- the eight-year veteran center acquired from Memphis in the Kevin Love-O.J. Mayo trade on draft night -- participated in media day and gave his account of the "freak" golf-cart accident that ruptured a triceps tendon in his elbow. He is expected to miss all of the preseason while he recovers from surgery.

He said the cart flipped on a sharp, wet, downhill turn at a course in California earlier this month, and both the cart and his twin brother, Jarron, fell on top of him. Jarron, who plays for Utah, was driving the cart.

"The course needs to have signs about a sharp, downhill, lefthand turn," Collins said, "and my brother needs to proceed with more caution."

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