Twin Cities duo: Towns, Jones embrace being in Minnesota
MINNEAPOLIS -- Karl-Anthony Towns followed up on an astute reference to Timberwolves lore, had fans help him choose No. 32 over No. 12 via a Twitter poll and introduced his imaginary friend Karlito to the Twin Cities. Tyus Jones recalled attending Minnesota games during both the Kevin Garnett-led golden era and the current decade-plus of disgrace.
But first, Towns wanted a tour. So in a rendezvous drummed up by the Wolves' public relations people, the pair of 2015 first-round picks met up at the Minneapolis-St. Paul airport before Jones showed off his home city to the No. 1 overall selection from Kentucky.
Strolling with team security personnel, staffers and a smattering of fans through Gaviidae Common, past City Center and into the club's new Courts at Mayo Clinic Square practice facility, it was almost like Towns and Jones fit in before they ever got here.
"That's the type of atmosphere we're trying to create," said head coach and president Flip Saunders, who along with general manager Milt Newton introduced the two newest Wolves to a throng of reporters gathered in the Mayo Clinic Square atrium, fans hanging over the balcony above. "You hope that they do remember a little bit of the history if they can remember history of our team, which they of course have.
"It's nice that they understand, they remember those things and they maybe honor those things."
The list of honorable junctures in franchise history is a short one to memorize, in part because some of the organization's biggest stars -- Stephon Marbury, Kevin Love, etc. -- ultimately wanted out of town. But by all accounts, including their own, Towns and Jones are thrilled to be around.
That's paramount, Newton said.
"Flip kids me sometimes, because I always say if they don't want to be here, we don't want them here," Newton said. "So to have two young players that said that they want to be here, to me, that's the beginning of having a successful franchise."
After the Wolves made him the first overall pick in club history, Towns expressed from the Barclays Center excitement at joining the same franchise for which Felipe Lopez played from 2000-02. Towns' mother Jacqueline Cruz is from the Dominican Republic just like Lopez, and Karl-Anthony is a member of the country's national team.
"To carry his torch is going to be an amazing experience for me," the phenomenal two-way center from New Jersey by way of Kentucky said.
Jones' congruence with the club is more obvious. The former Apple Valley and Duke star once won a state championship in the same Target Center where he'll play home games this season.
And even during these dog years, Jones said, he's remained a fan, which puts more emphasis on breaking Minnesota's 11-year playoff drought.
"This is my team," said Jones, the Most Outstanding Player in this year's Final Four. "It definitely means a little bit more to myself, having my hometown as kind of the backboard. It definitely means a little bit more."
Saturday, Jones will appear at an event for prospective season ticketholders; the Wolves say their sales folks have been inundated with calls and emails in the hours since draft night. Towns, meanwhile, plans to volunteer at a local bakery.
Soon, the pair will find places to live, most likely in the downtown area. They'll both take part in next month's Las Vegas Summer League. They'll get to know Andrew Wiggins, Rubio, Garnett and the rest of their teammates better. Towns will continue taking online classes from Kentucky. Jones will prepare for life as a backup NBA point guard, Towns as a possible megastar who could start at power forward or center.
And they'll do it all in a place where players finally want to remain, Saunders said, listing off the evidence.
Garnett waived a no-trade clause to come back at last season's deadline. Rubio signed a four-year extension early in the season. Wiggins said he wants to be here "for a very, very long time."
"We have something special going here," Saunders said. "They see what's going on. They see what's changed. I look at where we were a year ago at this time and where we are today, and the future is bright and clear, and it's sunny right now. That's what we've got to keep building on."
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