Rookies show their musical talents

Ricky Rubio was worried what might happen, so he asked around.

He went to Wes Johnson, a rookie for the Timberwolves last season. What about this rookie hazing, he asked. What can I expect?

Not this: At Monday's open scrimmage on the main floor at Target Center, before a crowd of perhaps nearly 2,500, the Wolves' three rookies were put through their hazing paces. With Martell Webster and Kevin Love leading the way, the rookies were brought to center court. They were asked to sing the national anthem. They were asked to sing "Happy Birthday" to a fan. And they were pushed into a dance contest in which they were all asked to do their version of the "Dougie" dance.

So how did that go?

"That's what a rookie has to do," Rubio said. "They were pretty good with us."

The rooks didn't get any warning from the vets. And that was by design.

"Rick [Adelman, Wolves coach] said you have to come up with something to haze the rookies with," Love said. "It was my idea to have them sing the national anthem, 'cause I knew Ricky wouldn't know it. I also had Ricky singing happy birthday. I thought that would be funny. ... They weren't too happy about the dancing. I wouldn't have been either. They used to make me sing as a rookie at basically every road trip. But not in front of [2,500] people."

Derrick Williams admitted it was a little embarrassing.

"But that's part of it. Hopefully there are more fans for next year's rookies who come in," he said.

But the "Dougie?" Does Rubio even know what that is? Turns out he does, a little. He got it from Minnesota native Alan Anderson, who starred at DeLaSalle and Michigan State and was a teammate of Rubio's in Spain last season.

"He was dancing all the time, the Dougie," Rubio said. "He teach me, but not that good."

Strong practiceAfter the open scrimmage, the Wolves had a 2 1/2-hour practice that Adelman described as perhaps the best of camp so far.

"They didn't break down once in their attitude," Adelman said. "So I thought it was a very good practice."

But both Rubio and guard J.J. Barea sat out. Rubio's right ankle is still tender after turning it in Saturday's preseason opener. Barea has a bruised thigh. Adelman said the decision to sit both was precautionary, then he gave both a good-natured hard time.

"There's something about foreign players in their contracts, I think," Adelman joked. "I'm going to read about it and see how many days they practice and they get off. I think it's five or six days and they get off."

Adelman was reminded that centers Darko Milicic and Nikola Pecovic both still were practicing.

"They're probably not aware of the deal," he replied.

Etc.• Adelman said both Pekovic and Anthony Randolph, who got limited minutes in Saturday's game, would get more time Wednesday.

"He played in the first half," Adelman said of Randolph. "I didn't think he was doing the things he was doing in practice."