Q&A with Mark Madsen

Jeff Wheeler, Jm - Star Tribune

Mark Madsen, here with Ricky Davis during Davis' time with the Wolves, is the longest-tenured Timberwolves player.

The Wolves forward talks about his basketball camp and the team's coaching change.

By MICHAEL RAND, Star Tribune

Last update: June 20, 2009 - 11:53 PM

A special perk comes with Timberwolves forward Mark Madsen's basketball camp, which runs Monday through Friday at Champlin Park High School (registration information available at www.thebasketballacademy.com). Madsen asks players from around the NBA to donate autographed shoes for camp giveaways. A lucky youngster might get some hoop knowledge and some scrawled-on Dwight Howard or Carmelo Anthony kicks. The Star Tribune's Michael Rand recently caught up with Madsen to talk about the camps, the Wolves' coaching search and -- what else? -- dancing!

Q So how much will you actually be at the camp?

A Quite a bit. I'm going to try to get there for a good portion of time. In the past, I've been there almost every day for a lot of hours. ... It's something I absolutely love doing.

Q What are your thoughts on Kevin McHale being let go as head coach?

A I'm really sad, No. 1. I think Kevin McHale is a great coach and a great person. I wanted him to continue coaching for a number of years here. I'm surprised and shocked. To be honest, I was disappointed. But at the same time we understand it's part of the business. Players can be traded, players can be cut and coaches can get fired. This unfortunately is the negative and bad side of the business.

Q Given that the team is now looking for a coach, do you have any particular qualities you would look for if you had your choice?

A Have an assistant coach that's a great defensive specialist but as a head coach the thing you have to have is an offensive system. You have to have something where players have a framework. ... I think [Lakers assistant and Madsen's former teammate] Brian Shaw would be an excellent candidate to be a head coach. He has connections overseas. He won as a player. He's played in the triangle [offense], he's coached in the triangle. He was a guard, he would know how to talk to point guards. He was the one guy in the locker room who had an unbelievable way of communicating with Shaq, Kobe and Phil [Jackson]. ... The other obvious choice of a great candidate would be Sam Mitchell. To me, around the league, his body of work speaks for itself.

Q What about Kevin Love breaking the McHale news on Twitter?

A I haven't spoken to Kevin Love about it, but I think he was probably really frustrated and down about the fact that our coach was let go. He was expressing some legitimate feelings. A lot of times you don't know what's been said in the media. He probably assumed that if he was hearing about it that it was mostly out there. It's interesting that it happened, but I've never had a problem with expression. ... I kind of lean in direction of what David Kahn said: We have multiple generations, and they communicate differently.

Q The Lakers winning another title reminded me about the way you danced at the victory parade during one of your L.A. championships. Do you still hear about that?

A I do hear about the dance all the time from people. There are a lot of things in life we all do that we want to live on forever and some you want to just die. [Laughs.] This is something that seems to have 900 lives, for better or worse. Let's face it: I'm not a great dancer.