From Jerry Zgoda/Star Tribune:
Rambis said he won't scout more NCAA tournament games this weekend after he and Kahn watched Kentucky's John Wall and DeMarcus Cousins, Ohio State's Evan Turner and Georgia Tech's Derrick Favors last weekend in New Orleans one night and Milwaukee the next afternoon.
Rambis will watch prospects on video and see most of those players participate in group workouts as the June 24 draft approaches...
Also from Zgoda:
Rambis and Kahn also will travel to Europe "probably a couple, three times" this spring to scout drafted Ricky Rubio and Nikolai Pekovic and other prospects.
From the Associated Press:
Bobcats coach Larry Brown, on Minnesota center Darko Milicic, whom he buried on the bench as a rookie in Detroit: "He didn't have a clue. But it didn't mean he wasn't talented. He's never going to (live up to the expectations of being) the second draft pick. That wasn't fair. But he can be a positive player for any team."
# Center Brian Cardinal was inactive in his first game back with Minnesota. "It's probably more in the locker room and practice," Rambis said on why he was re-signed. "He just has a love and enthusiasm for the game and a work ethic that's unparalleled."
Whether we get more good stuff coming from Milicic in the NBA remains to be seen. At this point, more than any other thing, he sounds like a player looking to be embraced.
"The country doesn’t matter," Milicic said. "I just want a team that trusts me and has a goal – winning a championship, making it into the Euroleague, whatever. I just want to enjoy playing basketball."
From Jerry Zgoda/Star Tribune:
Brian Cardinal's back.
The lovable, ol' vet was back in his proper place -- one chair over from protege Kevin Love -- gnawing on an apple before tonight's game at Charlotte, talking about he talked with some playoff-bound teams about a job but ultimately returned to the team that traded him to New York for Darko Milicic because he feels a responsibility to his teammates and the franchise.
Jonah Ballow/Timberwolves site collects March Madness memories from several players, including Jonny Flynn:
"Player moment was when we knew that we were going to the sweet 16. I don’t know, it was just a special feeling after missing the tournament the year before that everybody at Syracuse was happy after winning the Arizona State game, the clock was winding down and we knew we were going to the sweet 16 it was big time. Growing up Hakeem Warrick blocking the shot in the Kansas game of the national championship game in 2003; that’s something that has been etched into my mind and made me want to go to Syracuse right away, when I was watching them make that run in the tournament that year with Carmello. That was my moment as a player and a fan right there."
From Steve Aschburner/NBA.com: Pressure of patience can create some trying times
Last summer, Timberwolves forward Al Jefferson recalled how impatient he was getting with all the waiting in his career -- three traction-less seasons in Boston, two more in Minnesota -- and fast-forwarded the arc of his career into a blink of an eye.
"I've been here five years," the big guy said. "In five more years, I'll be 30. Five years after that, I'll be on my way out."
Fortunately, basketball and life don't pass by quite that rapidly. But it did show how players often think, how compressed a professional athlete's career can feel and how the future stretches out no further than a week from Tuesday.
"Me, I'm trying to win right away," said Wolves guard Corey Brewer, who just turned 24. "Everybody's telling me 'three years,' saying that's 'rebuilding.' We've been rebuilding. We traded KG [Kevin Garnett] my rookie year, right after I got drafted. Last year, we changed it up again. Now they're saying two years, so hopefully I'm around to see it."
From TwolvesBall: Terrible team, terrible town, terrible uniforms, terrible stadium…
Click here to vote for the Timberwolves Dancers in the NBA Dance Team bracket
From Quinton Skinner/Minnesota Playlist: The drama of the NBA
From Rick Bonnell/Charlotte Observer:
Ah, how quickly they forget: In the pre-game introductions, Minnesota Timberwolves coach Kurt Rambis was identified on the scoreboard as " Randy Wittman."
I guess it really has been forever since Kurt made that tip-in against the Chicago Bulls, to start the town's original love affair with the Charlotte Hornets.