Party NBA-style

At the 15th annual Taste of the Timberwolves last month, forward Kevin Love took an evening off from scoring points to pass out Caprese kebabs (tomato, basil and mozzarella) to attendees. Even out of uniform, it was easy to spot players, as most towered over regular-height guests.

Over the years, the event, which takes place on the floor of Target Center, has raised more than $2.5 million for the Timberwolves FastBreak Foundation, which provides and supports programs aimed at Minnesota youths. In the past year alone, it has helped 2,577 organizations with monetary donations, tickets, volunteer hours and grants.

Love, who spends the off-season in Los Angeles, runs a coat drive with donations going to the Salvation Army. "It gets cold here -- everybody needs a jacket," he said.

Some of his teammates also work with nonprofits. "We're very involved with the community," said Chris Wright, Timberwolves president. "The FastBreak Foundation is the backbone."

For the fundraiser, team members played a metaphorical pickup game with the crowd by serving food and mingling. "It's great to get off the court, so we can meet people as ourselves," said guard Jonny Flynn.

Sounds like a slam dunk.

Sara Glassman • 612-673-7177