[14]. In the 1995 NBA draft, the Timberwolves selected high school star Kevin Garnett with the fifth pick, and signed free agent Terry Porter while re-signing Sam Mitchell during the offseason. He is known for his work in player development while with the Washington Wizards staff. Kevin Maurice Garnett is an American former professional basketball player who played for 21 seasons in the National Basketball Association (NBA). Ryan Philip Saunders (born April 28, 1986) is an American basketball coach and former player who is the head coach for the Minnesota Timberwolves of the National Basketball Association (NBA). Ryan Philip Saunders (born April 28, 1986) [1] is an American basketball coach and former player who is the head coach for the Minnesota Timberwolves of the National Basketball Association (NBA). Randy Scott Wittman is an American retired basketball player at the guard position and former coach of the NBA's Cleveland Cavaliers, Minnesota Timberwolves, and Washington Wizards. The 2011–12 NBA season was the 66th season of the National Basketball Association (NBA), which began with the signing of a new collective bargaining agreement (CBA) between the owners of the 30 NBA teams and the NBA's players. Lowe played college basketball and served as the head coach at North Carolina State University. The 1995–96 NBA season was the Timberwolves' 7th season in the National Basketball Association. [4] Saunders graduated from Minnesota in 2008 with a bachelor's degree in sport management. The Timberwolves got off to a bad start losing nine of their first ten games. Founded in 1989, the team is owned by Glen Taylor who also owns the WNBA's Minnesota Lynx. He was the head coach of the U.S. The babyface Saunders … He entered the 1995 NBA draft, where he was selected with the fifth overall pick by the Minnesota Timberwolves and became the first NBA player drafted directly out of high school in 20 years. The most touching segment comes when Saunders shares how he plays video on his phone of dad conducting basketball clinics, just so his infant son can hear grandpa's voice. Outside of the National Basketball Association, Gates was the head coach of the Beirut Blue Stars, Oklahoma Storm, and Idaho Stampede, and while with the Stampede twice won the NBA G League Coach of the Year Award. The previous CBA, which was ratified in 2005, expired at 12:01 AM EDT on July 1, 2011, resulting in a lockout. [8] On January 8, Saunders got his first win in his debut as head coach when the Timberwolves defeated the Oklahoma City Thunder, [9] and became the youngest head coach to win in his debut since 1978. Saunders supplants Los Angeles Lakers head coach Luke Walton (38), and has turned a career as a former player at the University of Minnesota and assistant with the Washington Wizards and Timberwolves into a surprising head coaching role at such a fresh age. He is the assistant coach of the Minnesota Timberwolves of the National Basketball Association (NBA). https://www.sports-reference.com/cbb/players/ryan-saunders-1.html, "Timberwolves Relieve Tom Thibodeau of his Duties", "Get To Know Timberwolves Interim Head Coach Ryan Saunders", "Saunders Leads Wolves To Emotional Win In Debut", "Ryan Saunders becomes youngest coach in NBA history to win his coaching debut since 1978", "Minnesota Timberwolves Name Ryan Saunders Head Coach", "Minnesota Timberwolves make Ryan Saunders, 33, the NBA's youngest head coach", http://www.nba.com/coachfile/flip_saunders/index.html, "Timberwolves head coach Ryan Saunders, wife welcome baby boy", National Basketball Association head coaches.