Minnesota Timberwolves: D’Angelo Russell and JJ Redick talk Rosas

Minnesota Timberwolves star D’Angelo Russell was on J.J. Redick’s new podcast and discussed several topics, including Gersson Rosas.

The Minnesota Timberwolves have undergone an organizational culture change since Gersson Rosas became the president of basketball operations in May of 2019.

The new approach by the franchise is evident in virtually every aspect of the basketball operation, and Wolves star D’Angelo Russell recently spoke about Rosas and how excited he is for the future of the team on a podcast with New Orleans Pelicans guard J.J. Redick.

Minnesota Timberwolves: D’Angelo Russell and JJ Redick talk Rosas

On Redick and Tommy Alter’s new podcast, The Old Man & The Three, Russell joined the duo for a wide-ranging conversation of nearly 45 minutes.

Among the topics discussed includes the non-Wolves player that D’Lo would most like to start a team around, Russell’s rookie year in L.A. that coincided with Kobe Bryant’s farewell tour of the league, making the playoffs for the first time last year in Brooklyn, and the process of going through free agency and being traded, which are both things that recently happened to both Russell and Redick.

When the conversation shifted to free agency, Redick told a story about Gersson Rosas and the Wolves’ attention to detail in their recruitment of Redick.

Let’s turn it over to our friends from Canis Hoopus, who posted the specific clip on Twitter.

https://twitter.com/canishoopus/status/1302033658434301952

The fact that the Wolves put that much work into recruiting someone who wasn’t likely to sign in Minnesota, and, frankly, isn’t a superstar-caliber player, is the perfect example of Rosas putting his money where his mouth is when it comes to culture.

Russell shares an anecdote about the Wolves’ presentation to him in the helicopter hanger before taking a flight over Los Angeles, which of course became famous because as the pitch was ongoing, the news broke that Russell was headed to Golden State.

Russell also talks about just how awesome the culture is that Rosas is building. The Minnesota Timberwolves official Twitter account has the direct quote for us…

Incidentally, Russell’s selection for a player in the bubble that he would build a team around was Miami’s Bam Adebayo.

The idea that he would take a big is intriguing in and of itself, but his reasoning was fascinating. Russell discussed Adebayo’s switchability on defense and the ability to guard positions 1 through 5. Russell also talked about how challenging it was to go up against Adebayo during the Wolves’ victory in Miami just prior to the COVID-19-induced hiatus in early March.

At the end of the episode, the trio drafts their all-time favorite uniforms. One of Redick’s mid-round picks wat the KG-era black Wolves jerseys with the treeline trim. Awesome.

Additionally, Redick asks Russell what his comfort level would be playing with LaMelo Ball if the Wolves were to select him first overall in this year’s draft, and D’Lo’s answer is … revealing. But more on that later.