Timberwolves to honor Flip Saunders on Thursday night at Target Center

The Minnesota Timberwolves have announced additional plans to honor late head coach and executive Flip Saunders prior to Thursday night’s game against the Los Angeles Lakers at Target Center.

It’s been known for some time now that Thursday, Feb. 15 would be ‘Flip Saunders Night’ at Target Center. Now, more details have been released.

The weeks leading up to the tribute have been chock-full of Saunders’ contemperaries sharing their favority Flip moments. From Memphis head coach and Minnesota native Dave Joerger wanting to grow up and be just like Saunders, to San Antonio’s Gregg Popovich’s willingness to ‘jump into a foxhole’ with Flip, to kind words from Chauncey Billups, who played for Saunders in both Minnesota and Detroit, there are no shortage of NBA folks who have plenty to say about Flip’s impact on the game of basketball.

The Timberwolves organization announced on Thursday that the pregame ceremony will begin at 7:15 p.m. CT (the nationally-televised game will not start until 8 p.m.). The ceremony will include the unveiling of a permanent banner honoring Saunders.

Here are a few additional notes from the team’s website.

"Renowned custom sneaker shop Kickstradomis will be creating a different pair of custom sneakers for each Timberwolves player, with each pair inspired by Flip. The shoes will be auctioned off at the game outside of section 118, with bids being accepted through the end of halftime. During halftime, the Wolves have commissioned speed painter David Garibaldi to create a piece of art live honoring Flip’s memory. The painting and the team’s game-worn jerseys from that evening’s contest will both be part of a postgame auction. All proceeds from the auctions will benefit the Flip Saunders Legacy Fund. The Timberwolves FastBreak Foundation will also make a $5,000 donation in-game to the fund.Additionally, all fans in attendance will receive a Flip Saunders commemorative coin. One of Flip’s trademarks during his tenure with the Wolves was to create a new team coin each season for players and front office staff, then randomly give them to people he would encounter as a way to include fans on that season’s journey."

Here’s a tweet from the team that includes two coins that Flip created, and the one that will be given to fans at Thursday’s game.

If you’re in Minnesota, or anywhere within driving distance in the Upper Midwest, find some transportation and get to Target Center. Flip Saunders deserves a packed house to honor him, and here’s hoping for nothing less on Thursday.

It’s the last game before the All-Star break, and the Wolves need to end this tough stretch of games on a high note. A win is sorely needed, and you can bet that the Wolves players, especially Karl-Anthony Towns and Andrew Wiggins, who both played for Saunders, want to win this one for Flip.

Next: Minnesota Timberwolves: 10 burning questions

Stay tuned for postgame reaction late on Thursday evening, as well as continuing All-Star break coverage throughout the weekend.