When I interviewed at the Star Tribune in early 1990, a few of my soon-to-be colleagues took me to a Timberwolves game.
This was the middle of the Wolves' first season. They played at the Metrodome. Bill Musselman stormed the sideline and Tony Campbell epitomized the Wolves' tough, underdog mentality. They were an easy team to like. As an adoptive Minnesotan, I've been trying to like them ever since.
The Timberwolves have had their moments, but they were just moments: the Stephon Marbury-Kevin Garnett flirtation, the 2004 playoff run, the Kevin Love-Ricky Rubio intrigue, the Jimmy Butler implosion.
The Wolves have occasionally been interesting. Rarely have they been as likable as they were when fans' cheers died in the rounded corners of the cavernous Metrodome.
The best team in franchise history featured Sam Cassell and Latrell Sprewell, who, once they realized their excellence would not be financially rewarded, destroyed the organization from within, getting Flip Saunders fired and ushering in a new era of failure.
The most promising duo in franchise history — Garnett and Marbury — was split by Marbury's selfishness and shortsightedness.
The most promising team of recent vintage was destroyed by Butler's egomania.
The 2021-2022 Timberwolves are currently a fringe playoff team. They have much to prove. They do, however, have a chance to be the most likable team in franchise history, if they can just show a little maturity.