Minnesota Timberwolves: The value of leadership
By Josh Bungum
For far too long, the Minnesota Timberwolves franchise has struggled to find sustainable leadership throughout the entire organization. The fact that this is beginning to change might be the biggest reason for optimism for the future.
Leadership is a uniquely tangible, yet entirely unquantifiable, skill that greatly impacts the quality of team sports. It is typically synonymous with organizational success in not only the NBA, but in the sports world as a whole.
This is not something that the Minnesota Timberwolves franchise has been familiar with for a jaw-dropping amount of time.
For the last decade-plus the organization has fumbled lottery picks, stumbled through never-ending rebuilds and continuously failed to find adequate leaders from the front office all the way down to the playing court. Names like David Kahn haunt Timberwolves’ fans dreams, and the term ‘knuckle push-ups’ brings a sick feeling to the stomachs of Wolves nation as the memory of team star Kevin Love breaking his hand comes to mind.
Not since the days of Kevin Garnett and young Flip Saunders have the Timberwolves had a firm sense of leadership running the franchise. Al Jefferson tried, but his lack of top-end talent was never enough to satisfy the void after Garnett’s departure. Kevin Love always seemed more concerned about padding his ludicrous stats then lifting his teammates to new levels. Ricky Rubio tried his very best, but his broken jump shot and lack of stability from head coaches crushed that dream.
However, things seem to be turning the corner.
What, really, is a leader?
A ‘leader’ is a universally recognized term that applies to almost all interpersonal happenings around the world. In just about every positive circumstance, this person is somebody who stays true to who they are all while using their personal qualities to amplify the performances of people around them.
These people walk the line of being wholly likeable, yet completely respected by their peers and under links. They understand the balance of what is the correct amount of pressure and well-timed encouragement to get the most out of their team members.
When it comes to basketball, stat gurus loathe the term, as they cannot concretely calculate its impact in the win-loss column. Coaches can constantly be heard preaching its vitality.
Some examples…
A great example of a leader can be found in Timberwolves great Kevin Garnett. Known for his almost-scary level of intensity and incredible work habits, teammates fed off of his energy and raised their levels of play to meet his lofty expectations. Garnett never hid from his true personality, and this genuineness sold himself to fellow team members in a way that didn’t always forge friendships, but improved their performance greatly.
His ability to portray professionalism and desire made him an all-time great, and was the foundation of the success that those early Timberwolves teams enjoyed.
But this quality is not just found in players.
Think about the most successful franchises in sports. The New England Patriots have a celebrated owner in Robert Kraft whose wise decision-making has trickled down through both head coach Bill Belichick and quarterback Tom Brady. The San Antonio Spurs have unanimously applauded coach Gregg Popovich and wizard general manager R.C. Buford leading the charge of their model organization.
These leaders have qualities that permeate throughout the entire franchise in a way that is organic and contagious. The confidence that exudes from these teams can be directly attributed to the leadership supplied by these head figures. It is no coincidence that the most effective organizations in the sporting world have leaders who provide the foundation for success.
This is why when your favorite team is facing one of these franchises, the inevitability of defeat always seems to be in the back of fans’ minds. The high level of competence and unavoidable confidence they display can be overwhelming, and after repeatedly winning for so long it becomes almost a foregone conclusion for them that they will find a way to succeed.
Applying to the Timberwolves
The Minnesota Timberwolves are not quite there yet. But for the first time in a long time, they seem to be on the right track.
Head coach and president of basketball operations Tom Thibodeau, while imperfect, has an almost unmatched level of work ethic and basketball knowledge that his players can feed off of. His right-hand-man, Scott Layden, has plenty of quality front office experience to supplement these qualities.
Not only that, but this year’s Wolves also have quality veteran leaders who will be able to fully contribute on the court. This will be the first time in a while that can be said.
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There is Jimmy Butler, who has blossomed into a self-made superstar after being selected 30th-overall in the 2011 draft. His personality, while brash and confrontational at times, doesn’t leave room for non-commitment from teammates. He demands excellence from those around him, and his commitment to winning only seems enhanced after being sent out of Chicago.
The Timberwolves also acquired veterans who will lead in other ways. There is Taj Gibson, whose gritty and blue-collared nature is sure to bring a sense of toughness to the organization that has been lacking for the last few years. Jamal Crawford brings his own style of guidance, as his affable and well-portrayed personality will endear him to his young peers and be an excellent face for the media to talk to.
The hope is that these veteran additions and another year under the tutelage of Thibodeau will mold this roster from routine basement dweller in the Western Conference to a real challenger for the league’s elite. The fact that the young stars on the roster now have real experience around them should only help with confidence throughout games.
There will be several points throughout this upcoming season where the momentum is swayed against the Wolves. This will be the point where fans will get to see the resolve from this new team. My guess is the leadership of Butler and Thibodeau, as well as the other veteran additions, will lead to a noticeable change in mental toughness and, in turn, much greater success.
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None of that will feel typical for Wolves fans, but maybe, just maybe, it will become the norm.