Wiggins' personal trainer Hanlen working with trio of young Wolves
The NCAA allegations came swiftly and frequently.
Former Belmont guard Drew Hanlen never missed a game during his four years in Nashville. But he was ruled ineligible on several occasions, only to be reinstated at the last minute. That's what happens when a Division I athlete runs his own successful business on the side, working with big-money basketball clientele.
Today, the Pure Sweat Basketball founder plays an integral offseason role for three members of the Timberwolves' young core. Hanlen has been working out rookie of the year Andrew Wiggins and fellow all-rookie honoree Zach LaVine since last summer and added third-year power forward Anthony Bennett to his pupil list this offseason.
Last month, Hanlen, 25, put the trio through a series of grueling, individually-tailored drills. For Wiggins, a focus on his face-up game, attacking the basket while under duress and getting more leg under his long-range jump shot has been central. Hanlen and LaVine have worked on shot mechanics, decision-making and finishing at full speed. And Bennett, who enters a pivotal season after a disappointing first two, simply needs to get in better shape, Hanlen said, in addition to tweaking his own shooting form and shot selection.
Hanlen's hosted them at Pure Sweat's Santa Barbara, Calif., headquarters and will meet with them periodically the rest of the offseason -- Wiggins and Bennett in Canada during international play, LaVine in his Washington home, and all three in Minneapolis at different junctures.
Then when the season begins, Hanlen will do what he does for all his customers -- which include David Lee, Bradley Beal, Jordan Clarkson and a handful of 2015 draft hopefuls, including Twin Cities native Rashad Vaughn, Joe Young, Kelly Oubre and Andrew Harrison. The personal trainer provides his clients postgame video analysis, complete with voiceover breakdowns, after every contest and pays them an in-person visit or two throughout the year.
"Coaches do a great job preparing players for games and helping them grow," Hanlen told FOXSportsNorth.com, "but for me, I focus on the individual and how he fits in with his particular team so I can help that player be best they can be in the system."
"I think that's huge, because most people think personal trainers only have players' best interest at heart. But my job is to make Andrew Wiggins the best player he can be for Flip Saunders and the rest of his staff."
Hanlen bragged when Wiggins blossomed into the league's top rookie after some questioned his aggression during the pre-draft process. A year ago, he told scouts and reporters Wiggins would one day be a two-way NBA superstar, and after one year, he appears well on his way.
But even No. 1 overall draft picks exceeding the hype need minor tweaks here and there.
Early on last season, Hanlen noticed Wiggins shooting free throws with his stance slightly open to the left. The Toronto-area native shot just 67.6 percent from the foul stripe during the campaign's first month, but after squaring up his body parallel with the hoop at Hanlen's behest, Wiggins finished the year with a 76 percent free-throw mark.
"I've been able to work with a lot of talented players, but it's really exciting to be on the ground floor with (Wiggins) and be there for the beginning, see how far he can take his game," Hanlen said last week from Portland, Ore., where he'd accompanied Wiggins to meetings with Adidas. "I think he just showed a few signs or flashes of how good he can be.
"I think he's capable of becoming an All-Star next season, which will be pretty cool considering the All-Star Game is in his hometown next year."
Bennett grew up going to Raptors games at the Air Canada Centre, too, but he's far from the top-shelf power forward the Cavaliers foresaw when they drafted him first overall in 2013, only to package him with Wiggins in last year's Kevin Love trade. In two NBA seasons, Bennett averages 4.7 points and 3.4 rebounds per game.
Illness and injury have plagued a large part. Hanlen also says Bennett's "never really had an NBA offseason," going through draft preparations and aftermath two years ago and being shipped to Minnesota last August.
Hanlen has been impressed so far. In his first week out west, Bennett dropped a whopping 12 pounds, Hanlen said, and hopes to lose a total of 20-25 by the time training camp starts.
"Somebody asked me on Twitter about Anthony, I'd posted little clips about him working out, working on screens, and (someone) was like, 'Thank God,' with a praying emoji," Hanlen said. "But he's such a good kid. He's changed his mentality. I worked with him once during season, and at that point, I think he was down on himself and kind of felt sorry for himself.
"But this summer, he's got a completely new attitude."
Hanlen's the guy throwing LaVine footballs in the guard's latest viral video sensation that circulated last month. He also worked with Wolves swingman Shabazz Muhammad two summers ago ahead of the draft.
Hanlen first dipped his toe into the hoops training business as a junior at Webster Groves High School in St. Louis, gradually building a network around that area's top talent. At Belmont, he had current Warriors big man Festus Ezeli and Hawks shooting guard John Jenkins next door at Vanderbilt.
By the time he graduated college in 2012, Hanlen had been working with several NBA players for years.
The NCAA often called Hanlen on interacting so closely with people who very easily could provide "impermissible benefits," such as tickets to NBA games. But Hanlen argued he needed to watch his clients play and should be allowed to work like any other student, and though he kept the Bruins' compliance office busy and coach Rick Byrd awake late at night, the NCAA always relented.
Eventually.
"Nothing I did was illegal," said Hanlen, who averaged 10.8 points and 3.4 assists during his senior season. "Just frowned upon."
But that's no longer an issue. And today, when it comes to Minnesota and the rest of the NBA, business is booming.
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