Wolves' Dieng avoids ripple by not discussing executive order

President Donald Trump's executive order that suspended travel with seven Muslim-majority nations has dominated the news and stirred controversy.

Timberwolves forward/center Gorgui Dieng wasn't about to dip his toe into that pool.

Dieng is a Muslim. He is from Senegal, an African country not among the nations named in the executive order.

"I saw it, but it's very sensitive stuff," Dieng said after the Wolves' morning shootaround Monday at Target Center. "I think if you're going to say something, some people will take it. … It will be two groups. Some people will take it against you, and some others will be for you. So, for me personally, I'm just going to have no words to say about that."

But Dieng couldn't resist a little humor. "All I know is, I'm paying a lot of taxes here," he said, smiling.

Actually, he does much more than that. A man who has set roots down in his second home, Dieng has bought a house here. He signed a four-year, $64 million extension as the regular season was commencing.

Dieng is active in the community, both here and in Senegal. For example, he worked with the local nonprofit Matter and the Wolves' Fast-Break Foundation to help rebuild and equip a Senegal hospital.

It's been a tough year to be a former Kentucky player. At least in the Wolves locker room.

Karl-Anthony Towns is a proud former Wildcat, always willing to talk up the program. Problem is this year's team, 17-4 overall, has lost three of those games to UCLA, Kansas and Louisville.

So, not much bragging rights. Dieng went to Louisville. Shabazz Muhammad and Zach LaVine went to UCLA. Former Kansas players on the roster? Andrew Wiggins, Brandon Rush and Cole Aldrich.

The most recent loss, to Kansas on Saturday, was latest blow. "I'm just taking it as it is," Towns said. "I'm a proud Kentucky alum, so I will be willing to pay those bets any day of the week."

Oh, yes. There were wagers. Normally $100 per game. Towns collected from Adreian Payne when Kentucky beat Michigan State. But he's still way, way in the red.

Yes, he does. "You have to know the league," Thibodeau said. "And you have to know what's going on in the league, so you study everything."

But: "For us, it's not good to get lost in those things, but to understand exactly where we are and what we have to do each and every day, and to be focused on our opponent. We're building habits, we're improved. But we're still not where we need to be. But, as long as we're concentrating on each and every day the results will end up being very good."