On the job: Flip, Wolves in Chicago for draft combine

Wolves new basketball boss reacquainting himself with old NBA friends in his new job

May 16, 2013 at 5:14PM
Flip Saunders, Wolves president of basketball operations
Flip Saunders is leading the Wolves delegation in Chicago for the NBA draft combine. (Star Tribune file/The Minnesota Star Tribune)

Arrived in Chicago not too long ago for the NBA's annual draft combine these next two days.

Danny Ainge and Mitch Kupchak are here. So are Mike D'Antoni, Ty Corbin, Rick Carlisle, even unemployed/retired coach Jerry Sloan.

And, of course, Flip Saunders is here, too.

It's part player workouts/interviews, part job fair for the former NBA head coach now turned Wolves basketball boss.

Flip is leading a seven-person Wolves front-office party here in Chicago.

Player personnel guy R.J. Adelman is here, but his dad Rick is not.

He's earned the right not to be here, I guess, after 30 years in the league.

About 60 draft prospects are here for drills, exams and interviews with teams.

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Expect the Wolves to focus on shooting guards and centers -- their two biggest areas of need -- in this draft process.

Of the players in early to talk to the media today, UCLA small forward Shabazz Muhammad and Ohio State small forward Deshaun Thomas say they interviewed with the Wolves last night.

Players with local connections here are former Gophers forward Trevor Mwabke, former Gopher Colton Iverson, Bucknell center (by way of Roseville) Mike Muscala and South Dakota State guard Nate Wolters.

about the writer

about the writer

Jerry Zgoda

Reporter

Jerry Zgoda covers Minnesota United FC and Major League Soccer for the Minnesota Star Tribune.

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