Wolves co-owner A-Rod: ‘NBA has welcomed me’

LAS VEGAS — Alex Rodriguez was standing close to his courtside seat, oblivious to a couple followers who have been snapping a fast photograph of him as they walked by.

He was watching the Minnesota Timberwolves heat up as a substitute.

Rodriguez — at present a part of the Timberwolves’ possession group, with plans in place for him and enterprise companion Marc Lore to imagine management from Glen Taylor and turn out to be main homeowners subsequent 12 months — mentioned Wednesday that he is having fun with his transitions from baseball to basketball and from participant to govt. He famous that he is nonetheless studying.

“I imply, I come at it from a unique perspective, being in baseball for a few quarter of a century, and now it is fascinating to take my expertise from Main League Baseball, from broadcasting and now being right here as an proprietor,” Rodriguez mentioned in an interview with The Related Press earlier than watching Minnesota’s summer time league recreation in Las Vegas towards Milwaukee. “It has been nice. The NBA has welcomed me with open arms.”

And the Wolves have not precisely been sitting round idly since Rodriguez and Lore began their possession course of.

Minnesota has been one of many greatest tales within the league this offseason, first by luring govt Tim Connelly away from the Denver Nuggets to take over as president of the Timberwolves. Then got here the commerce, buying Rudy Gobert from Utah for a slew of gamers and draft picks, a transfer that created maybe the highest frontline within the NBA with Gobert taking part in alongside Karl-Anthony Cities.

“It is all in regards to the followers in Minnesota. I feel they deserve a winner,” Rodriguez mentioned. “They deserve consistency, they deserve continuity. And I feel throughout the board, we have seen that. … In the event you’re a fan, there’s loads to cheer for. There’s loads to be enthusiastic about. And I feel when you possibly can forecast predictability, it is good for the vitality of the city.”

Taylor agreed to promote the Timberwolves for $1.5 billion final 12 months to Lore and Rodriguez. Lore turned Walmart’s e-commerce chief in 2016, when the retail big purchased his Jet.com startup in an try to spice up on-line enterprise.

Rodriguez hit 696 house runs over 22 main league seasons, with the New York Yankees, Seattle Mariners and Texas Rangers. His final season on the sector was 2016, marking the tip of a profession that was tainted by performance-enhancing drug use he later admitted to. He has invested in an array of companies outdoors of basketball, serves as a trustee on the College of Miami — the baseball stadium there bears his identify, though he by no means performed for the Hurricanes — and now finds himself studying a brand new recreation.

However he already speaks of it like a seasoned professional, speaking about what Wolves guard D’Angelo Russell can do in pick-and-roll conditions, how he thinks Gobert — a three-time defensive participant of the 12 months — is underrated offensively and why it was essential to increase coach Chris Finch’s contract this previous spring.

It is busy, and that is what he needs.

“Group possession is 365, 24/7,” Rodriguez mentioned, “I knew that [NBA commissioner] Adam Silver and his staff have been nice, however they’re even higher than what they undertaking. His senior administration staff, during, they’re actually unbelievable. They add tons of worth. And I feel they’re nice at welcoming individuals, whether or not you are a participant, media, proprietor, govt into the room, and so they understand how to do this higher than anybody.”