The Minnesota Timberwolves will report to training camp in just over a month, but they’ve already gotten a head start on taking a team trip to Paris. Last month, Jon Krawczynski revealed that Anthony Edwards and LaMelo Ball were organizing a team-wide trip to France to visit Rudy Gobert. Recently, content of the team working out and seeing the sights in France has surfaced via social media.
While there are many benefits that can come from this trip, the biggest may be that the Wolves may have found “the secret” of basketball.
“The secret of basketball” comes from a quote given by Hall of Famer Isiah Thomas to Bill Simmons in his 2009 book, The Book of Basketball. When discussing the teams he played with as the starting point guard for the “Bad Boy” Detroit Pistons that won titles in 1989 and 1990, he noted that it wasn’t anything schematic that helped the team win but rather how the team stuck together and sacrificed to win it.
“The secret of basketball is that it’s not about basketball,” Thomas said.
The Timberwolves can learn a lesson from ‘the secret of basketball’
This quote comes through in several ways. The first is about the relationships that a team establishes off the court. “Connectivity” is a buzzword that many basketball coaches use to explain the togetherness of a team and how well they connect, communicate and trust each other on and off the court, which helps set them up for success.
It also points to a team sacrifice over stats. While scoring was down in a game geared towards defense in the late 80s, no player averaged more than 20 points per game on either of the championship teams, relying on a team element that often suffocated and beat up opposing teams.
The final point is limiting self-reliance. By playing team basketball, the Pistons didn’t cave in to any player’s demand for no shots or ego. Detroit is notably just one of seven teams to win back-to-back NBA titles – a feat that only the Miami Heat (2012-13) and Golden State Warriors (2017-18) have accomplished since the Chicago Bulls’ dynasty ended with its second three-peat in 1998.
More recently, the New York Knicks cited their togetherness as they ripped through the playoffs with a 16-2 record en route to winning last year’s title, and if Minnesota wants to do the same, it'll have to lean into what Thomas has preached.
‘The secret of basketball’ could help the Timberwolves exponentially next season
Looking back, there’s enough to suggest that the Timberwolves didn't truly understand the secret of basketball last season. Minnesota was fine offensively, ranking seventh in points per game (118.0) and 12th in points allowed per game (114.6). But even in winning 49 games, they felt like a group that was pulling in multiple directions.
Edwards led the way with 28.8 points per game and Randle averaged 21.1 points per contest in his second season in Minnesota. But at times, the offense felt stagnant as the team ran isolation plays for Edwards, and the offense turned into a black hole as Randle tried to bully his way into the paint.
In many ways, the Wolves lived on self-reliance most nights, and it caused Edwards to give a vague reason for his team’s struggles in a 119-92 home loss to the Orlando Magic last March.
“I don’t know. I don’t know man, I wish I had an answer for you,” Edwards said. “I do got an answer, but I don’t wanna say it. So I don’t know.”
While it could have been Edwards’ frustration with something else that happened in the game, Naz Reid may have given the answer that Edwards wasn’t willing to offer, suggesting the team suffered from “moodiness” when asked about what separated them from the Oklahoma City Thunder and San Antonio Spurs.
“You look at both of those teams, and they’re playing for one another,” Reid explained. “They’re excited to be on the court with one another. They’re a team where they’re selfless. …So I think just probably some of those aspects. I think we have more than enough talent. I think we have more than enough guys bringing it to the table and can compete at a high level, but just being less moody. I think that’s just the name of the game for us, just being less moody and more selfless and just carrying ourselves with championship aspirations like we’ve done before.”
Reid won’t get the chance to see it through, as he was traded to the Charlotte Hornets for LaMelo Ball. It’s also more probable that adding a power forward will do more to stop Victor Wembanyama or Shai Gilgeous-Alexander than the power of friendship.
Regardless, the trip to Paris could signify a lesson learned from last season and perhaps an element that could help the Timberwolves bridge the gap in the Western Conference and take a step toward a championship next season.
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